Turkey Reopens Border Crossing With Syria To Reduce Regional Riots

Passport check at the Bab Al Eve border crossing. (Wikimedia Commons/Have you seen a passport at the Bab Al Eve border crossing.)

JAKARTA - Turkey reopened major crossings with Syria on Wednesday to defuse unrest in the territory under its control, said a source in Syrian opposition sided with Ankara.

The move eased the blockade imposed by Turkey after its interests in the region were attacked and four Syrians were killed in violence this week.

"The movement of passengers and trucks has returned to normal, starting today," said Syrian side administration of Bab Al Eve crossing, reported by The National News July 4.

The crossing lies between the Province of Hatay in Turkey and the province of Idlib in Syria.

The Turkish government is one of four external powers that has 'building' territory in Syria during the civil war for 13 years. The government has formed a proxy force and built channels with Sunni extremist groups to fight secular Kurdish militias backed by the US, Shiite militants in favor of Iran, as well as groups supported by Russia.

Riots in Turkish territory in Syria, which includes parts of northern Idlib and Aleppo provinces, occurred when Syrian refugees in Turkey were again attacked by the masses.

Anger at Ankara is also a reaction to the Turkish government which is considering restoring relations with President Bashar Al Assad, after years of supporting the opposition, which is mostly Sunni's line of government dominated by the Alawi people in Syria.

Turkey is the main supplier of goods to the northern opposition region beyond the control of Damascus, which borders regime territory, and territory taken over by Kurdish militias backed by Washington.

Meanwhile, a member of the Syrian opposition said Turkey appeared to be aware of its enemies in Syria, particularly Kurdish militants, would benefit if it "continues to pressure the people in the north".

It is known, Bab Al Eve is one of four border crossings between Turkey and territory controlled by its Syrian allies which has been closed this week.

Other crossings have been closed for years due to bordering regime areas, or areas controlled by Kurdish militias.

Bab Al Eve is run by the Rescue Government, controlled by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, a branch of the Al Nusra Front which has ties to Turkey.

About four million people live in an area under the influence of Turkey in northern Syria. The region consists mostly of territory controlled by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, and the Syrian National Army, the militia formed by Ankara in 2017. Most of the Syrian National Army is a former rebel who has been defeated since Russian intervention on the Syrian regime in 2015.

Turkish authorities said on Tuesday security forces had detained nearly 500 people in connection with attacks on Syrian citizens in Turkey.