Turkey has reopened the Akçakale border crossing with Syria after a 12-year closure, allowing civilians with passports to pass through the gate in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
The Şanlıurfa Governor’s Office said people with passpors could begin entering and leaving Syria through the Akçakale border crossing on Tuesday, following instructions from the Interior Ministry.
The crossing, which lies opposite Tal Abyad in northern Syria, had been closed to commercial and civilian traffic in 2014 due to the Syrian civil war and changing control of the area on the Syrian side of the border.
Turkish citizens, Syrians with dual citizenship and Syrians who have valid residence or work permits in Turkey will be able to apply to use the crossing, the governor’s office said.
The governor’s office said Syrians under temporary protection in Turkey who cannot use the passport system may still apply to cross for trade, funerals or other reasons, and their requests will be reviewed under the relevant rules.
People seeking to cross into Syria gathered in front of the customs gate on Tuesday and began crossing after passport checks and other procedures were completed.
The move follows the transfer of control of the Tal Abyad customs administration to the Damascus government on January 22, according to the governor’s office.
Şanlıurfa Governor Hasan Şıldak said in a May 11 statement on X that the new process at Akçakale, “one of our country’s most important gates opening to the Middle East,” would make an important contribution to the province’s economic and commercial capacity.
Akçakale was closed in 2014 after Tal Abyad, on the Syrian side of the border, came under the control of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The crossing remained largely closed after the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) later captured the town.
Turkey views the YPG and its political wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), as the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies. The YPG forms the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The reopening comes as Damascus seeks to restore control over border crossings and reintegrate areas previously held by local armed groups following the overthrow of president Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
Turkey has forged close ties with Syria’s new rulers, with President Ahmed al-Sharaa joining a diplomacy forum in Turkey’s southern Antalya resort in April.