Armenia to send humanitarian aid to Syria through Türkiye
International humanitarian aid trucks cross into Syria's northwestern Idlib province through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Türkiye, on September 7, 2020 (AFP Photo)
Armenia has announced that the Alican-Margara border crossing with Türkiye will open from March 21 to 31 to facilitate the transportation of humanitarian aid to Syria.
This decision, made by the Armenian government, aims to expedite the delivery of essential supplies to Syria through Turkish territory.
Background on Alican-Margara border crossing
The Alican-Margara border crossing closed since 1993, has been the subject of previous discussions regarding the opening for humanitarian purposes.
In 2022, during the normalization process between Armenia and Türkiye, an agreement was reached to allow third-country nationals and diplomatic passport holders to cross the border. However, this agreement has not yet been implemented.
The border crossing was temporarily opened in 2023 to allow humanitarian aid from Armenia to reach Türkiye following the devastating earthquakes.
Decision to open border for Syria’s humanitarian needs
The decision to open the Alican-Margara crossing for aid to Syria follows consultations between representatives from Armenia and Syria.
The Armenian government stated that the decision was made to facilitate faster and more cost-effective delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria. The Armenian prime minister’s office emphasized that this move is in line with the country’s commitment to assist Syria in addressing urgent humanitarian needs.
“The government amended the decree of May 12, 2011, on border crossings, which indicated that the ‘Margara’ checkpoint was closed. The draft was developed by the Prime Minister’s office. They noted that its adoption will allow faster and less expensive delivery of cargo to Syria,” the information states.
