After 14 Years of Suspension.. Movements to Restore the Train Between Syria and Iraq

SadaNews - A correspondent from the "Syria Now" platform reported that a delegation from the Syrian Railways Authority conducted an inspection tour of the railway connecting Syria and Iraq, to assess the extent of the damage to the track and the status of the stations after 14 years of suspension.

The correspondent added that the Syrian delegation met with their Iraqi counterparts at the al-Yarubiyah border crossing between the two countries to coordinate efforts to revive the railway line through the rehabilitation and maintenance of the track. Osama Azzam Haddad, the director of the General Authority for Railways in Syria, stated in a comment to "Syria Now" that the damage to the railway line remains minimal, adding that rehabilitation work could be completed within two months.

The Syrian official clarified that the maintenance will include various earthworks, embankments, and other minor tasks.

Development Line

Haddad mentioned that this railway line between Iraq and Syria is an extension of the development line that exists from Eastern Europe through Turkish territory, reaching Syria.

According to the Syrian rail official, the distance of the line currently being evaluated is nearly 80 kilometers, which shortens the distance significantly between Iraq and Turkey. Additionally, it connects the Iraqi port of al-Faw on the Gulf waters with the Iraqi dry ports, which will greatly alleviate the crisis related to the Strait of Hormuz.

Qahatan Abdul Aziz, the director of railways for Northern Iraq, stated that this line will enable Iraq and Syria to exchange goods, and it will be an alternative to Iraqi ports for trade exchanges between the two countries.

When operational, the railway line between Syria and Iraq connected the city of Mosul in Northern Iraq with the city of Rabi'a, which is the last border point between Iraq and Syria, and then continued to the al-Qamishli station in Syrian territory, proceeding to the Nusaybin station in Turkey.

Regional Movement

The General Director of Railways and Joint Transport in Lebanon, Ziad Shia, announced two days ago that railways in his country will resume operations next year, starting with a line connecting the Port of Tripoli with the Lebanese-Syrian border.

Shia stated, in remarks to the Lebanese newspaper "Ad-Diyar" published last Saturday, that the project's goal is for Lebanon to become part of the regional international transportation network, clarifying that "what Lebanon truly needs on the ground is a space of stability, so that all the projects currently in preparation can be launched into implementation."

He continued, "We have taken into account what is being worked on regionally, through the Hejaz line that starts from the Gulf, specifically from Saudi Arabia, passing through Jordan, reaching Homs, Aleppo, and Turkey, and then to Europe."

The Lebanese official pointed out that the war on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have accelerated the intensification of meetings and studies regarding railway connection projects in the Arab and Gulf regions.