Following reopening Abu Al-Zendayn crossing | Preparations underway for opening Al-Shatt highway connecting Turkey and Gulf states
Aleppo province: Heavy diggers and earth-moving machineries started widening Hajez Al-Shatt highway in Azaz in preparation for opening Aleppo- Gaziantep international highway, locally known as Al-Shatt highway, through Bab Al-Salama crossing in Aleppo countryside on the border strip between Syria and Turkey.
This comes after the soft reopening of Abu Al-Zendayn crossing connecting regime controlled areas and areas controlled by faction sof the “National Army” which is subordinated by Ankara.
According to SOHR sources, the latest Russian-Turkish understandings and agreements leads to opening Al-Shatt highway for commercial trucks as first step after the opening of Abu Al-Zendayn crossing according to a convention for opening a highway connecting Turkey and the Gulf states through Syria and Jordan.
In September 2009, Syria and Turkey agreed on establishing the “Strategic Cooperation Council between the Syrian Arab Republic and the Republic of Turkey,” where the two countries, and just after the establishment of the council, struck over 30 conventions and ten protocols and memorandums of understanding related to vital affairs, such as the defence, security, economic, health and transportation situations.
On June 13, SOHR learned from its sources that Russian and Turkish forces are preparing to open Abu Al-Zandein crossing near Al-Bab city in Aleppo countryside. The opening of the crossing allows civilians and merchants to travel from regime-held areas and areas of the factions in northern of Aleppo.
Meanwhile, the residents of Al-Bab city set up a sit-in tent near Aleppo roundabout, to prevent vehicles from entering Abu Al-Zandin crossing, located in Aleppo countryside within “Euphrates Shield” areas, while military and civil police patrol members removed it and expelled the residents, in light of a state of security alert and heavy deployment, to prevent any movements or gatherings by residents that might hinder the work of the crossing.