Iraq exports first cement shipment through al-Waleed crossing after 11-year halt

BAGHDAD — Iraq has dispatched its first cement shipment to Syria through the al-Waleed border crossing, the Border Ports Authority announced Sunday, marking the resumption of exports halted for nearly 11 years.

The authority said the shipment was carried out under direct supervision by its head, Lt. Gen. Omar al-Waeli, who described the step as “a positive indicator of the success of regulatory and oversight procedures adopted in managing border crossings.”

The al-Waleed crossing with Syria reopened on April 2 after more than 11 years of closure, initially facilitating the entry of oil tankers into Syria toward the Baniyas refinery. Syria’s ports and customs chief Qutaiba Ahmed Badawi said at the time that plans were in place to reopen additional crossings. The crossing had been shut since 2014 after large areas of Iraq and Syria fell under Islamic State control.

Its reopening, along with the earlier resumption of the al-Qaim crossing in June 2025, is part of broader efforts to restore trade routes between the two countries. Iraq has been seeking alternative export corridors, including overland routes to Syria’s Mediterranean ports, following disruptions to its southern oil terminals during the regional conflict.