Iraqi border to reopen ‘within weeks’

AMMAN – The Turaibil/Karameh border crossing between Jordan and Iraq is expected to reopen for both cargo and passengers in the near future, immediately after the completion of renovation work for the centre on the Iraqi side, a government official said Sunday. 

The source, who preferred to remain anonymous, told The Jordan Times that the Iraqi government recently decided to reopen the crossing as it is now safer for truckers and passengers to travel between the two countries than it was some three months ago, when authorities in Baghdad decided to close the crossing due to fighting with extremists in Anbar province. 

“Our side is ready to resume operations as it remained open,” said the official, explaining that Iraqi authorities are renovating buildings and infrastructure inside Turaibil because some of the facilities had been damaged during fighting with militant groups. 

Transport and cargo movement is expected to resume within the coming weeks, said the official, who added that Iraq is an important market for Jordanian manufacturers and farmers. 

Iraq is Jordan’s largest market, with around 20 per cent of the nation’s JD6 billion volume of exports going to the eastern neighbour, President of the Jordan Chamber of Industry Ayman Hatahet, has said in previous remarks to The Jordan Times. 

Since the closure of the border, Jordanian exports to Iraq have come to a complete halt, except for some limited goods that have a long life-span.  Some industrialists ship their products through Kuwait.

Hatahet has said that several industries were established in Jordan just for the Iraqi market such as food processing, detergents and wood.