Tankers carrying Iraqi oil cross into Syria via Rabia border gate in Nineveh

Описание: (5 May 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rabia, Nineveh, Iraq - 4 May 2026
1. Various of oil tankers crossing the Rabia-Yarubiyah border gate in Nineveh
2. Iraqi officers checking and stamping exit papers for truckers
3. Various of officers holding lists of crossing trucks
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmad Hamdi, tanker truck driver from Iraq:
“We loaded from Kar refinery in Kalak (Irbil) and are heading towards the border, and there are several locations (to load in) such as Siniyah, Kirkuk, and Baiji. Trucks from all these locations head to Yarubiyah gate. While al-Walid gate receives (trucks) from the west side, those who are loading from Doura and Shuaiba (refineries). They all go towards al-Walid gate, but the northern part heads towards Yarubiyah gate, and that is to prevent traffic congestion at the gates.”
5. Various of Syrian officers checking Iraqi trucks at the gate
6. Wide of the Syrian side of the border gate
7. Various of long line of tanker trucks waiting to cross into Syria
8. Tankers passing through the Iraqi-Syrian border gate
9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Saadi Fuad, tanker truck driver from Iraq:
“First, we loaded from Kar Refinery (Irbil) and came towards Mosul, to Yarubiyah gate, and God willing we are heading to Syria, to Banias, and praise be to God, the road is safe and secured.”
10. Wide of heavy vehicles working on paving and widening the road to Syria
11. Border official on Iraqi side
12. Sign in Arabic referring to Rabia border administration building
13. Iraqi flag fluttering on Iraqi side
14. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Basim Shith Mohammed, deputy director of Rabia border gate in Nineveh:
“As of 1 May, and upon instructions from Lieutenant General Dr. Omar Al-Waeli, the head of Iraq's Border Ports Authority, work has commenced for the crossing of tankers from Rabia gate to Yarubiyah gate, and the first batch was composed of 70 tankers. The work is continuing to dispatch as many trucks as possible, in order to increase the revenue of the state and raise its capacity.”
15. People walking by the border gate
16. Truck driver sitting by his truck and waiting to cross
17. Various of lines of loaded tankers waiting at the Iraqi side
STORYLINE:
Dozens of tanker trucks carrying Iraqi oil began crossing into Syria via the Rabia-Yarubiyah border gate on Monday.

A long line of trucks was seen on the Iraqi side of the border as drivers waited for their exit papers to be stamped at the border gate.

Most of the tankers were loaded with products from oil fields and refineries in Kirkuk, Siniyah, Baiji, and Kar refinery in Irbil, officials said.

“Trucks from all these locations head to Yarubiyah gate. While al-Walid gate receives (trucks) from the west side, those who are loading from Doura and Shuaiba (refineries)," said Ahmad Hamdi, a tanker truck driver from Iraq.

The Iraqi Ministry of Oil provided free diesel fuel for tanker trucks to transport oil products to Banias ports in Syria, authorities said.

“Work has commenced for the crossing of tankers from Rabia gate to Yarubiyah gate, and the first batch was composed of 70 tankers. The work is continuing to dispatch as many trucks as possible in order to increase the revenue of the state,” said Basim Shith Mohammed, deputy director of Rabia border gate in Nineveh.

Since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, oil shipments have been trucked from Iraq into Syria and shipped to European markets via Syria’s Baniyas port, bypassing the Hormuz route.



AP Video by Farid Abdulwahed




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