A correspondent for the Syria Now platform, operating in the countryside of Hasakah in northeastern Syria, reported that a delegation from the Syrian Railways Authority conducted a tour to inspect the railway line between Syria and Iraq.
The delegation visited the area to assess the extent of damage to the line and stations after 14 years of disuse.
Coordination meeting between the two countries
Speaking to Syria Now, Syrian Railways Director-General Osama Azzam Haddad said they met with their Iraqi counterparts at the Al-Yarubiyah border crossing and coordinated efforts to revive the line.
Haddad stated that the damage to the line is minor and that renovation work could be completed within about two months.
He noted that the maintenance work will involve some earthworks and simple adjustments.
Strategic line for regional trade
Haddad emphasized that the Syria-Iraq railway line is an extension of the 'Development Road' that starts from Eastern Europe and extends through Turkey to Syria.
He noted that the section of the line currently under evaluation is approximately 80 kilometers long and that this line significantly shortens the distance between Iraq and Turkey.
The line connects Iraq's Al-Faw Port on the Persian Gulf and its dry ports, offering an alternative route that could mitigate the impact of potential crises in the Strait of Hormuz.
Positive statements from both sides
Iraq's Northern Region Railways Director Qahtan Abdulaziz also said this line will enable the exchange of goods between the two countries and create a commercial alternative for Iraqi ports.
The line, which was active in the past, connected the Iraqi city of Mosul, via the border town of Rabia, to the Qamishli station in Syria and from there to the Nusaybin station in Turkey.
This development is seen as part of efforts to revive railway networks in the region. Lebanon's Director-General of Railways, Ziad Shiya, also recently announced that railway lines in his country will begin operating next year, with the first line connecting the Port of Tripoli to the Syrian border.
