Syria’s state news agency Sana reported that fuel convoys had begun entering the country through al-Tanf crossing, signalling what it described as a renewed role for Syria as a transit hub. The Syrian Petroleum Company said it would store the shipments before transferring them to Baniyas for export.
Safwan Sheikh Ahmad, the company’s communications director, said the first convoy includes 299 tankers and called the move a “step toward restoring Syria’s role as a key energy corridor in the region”.
Iraq has not relied on this route for decades. However, sources told Reuters that the aftermath of Syria’s war and the disruption caused by the Israeli-US war on Iran have made it a viable, albeit more expensive, alternative.
Iraqi officials acknowledge the arrangement is temporary.