Official says Syrian temporary residents in Kurdistan can go back Thursday

The Faysh Khabur border crossing official asked Syrian temporary residents in Kurdistan to visit the crossing Thursday, the only day in January they can do the needed paperwork to return to Syria.
Faysh Khabur border crossing between Kurdistan Region and north-east Syria. (Photo: Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP)
Faysh Khabur border crossing between Kurdistan Region and north-east Syria. (Photo: Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The manager of a border crossing in the Kurdistan Region says the facility can on Thursday receive Syrians who are temporarily in the Kurdish region to facilitate their return to Syria.

"The Syrian citizens who are in the Kurdistan Region on a temporary visit and are unable to return home to Syria can come to the Faysh Khabur border crossing on Thursday to register their names," Shawkat Barbahari, the crossing's manager, said in a statement.

"This is for the Syrian citizens who visited the Kurdistan Region with a 30-day residency permit and were unable to go back to Syria because of the problems the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) recently created at the crossing."

Read More: Border guards severely injured in PKK attack on Faysh Khabur: KRG official

Barbahari explained that the concerned Syrian nationals can visit the facility on Thursday between 8:00 to 16:00, local time, where they can do the required paperwork to go back to their country.

"Then, they will be transported to the Waleed border crossing from where they can return," Barbahari said.

He noted, however, that Thursday is the only day in January the people in that specific situation on which they can return to Syria using the crossing.

"This opportunity will be repeated once a month and for one day only," he added.

In December, suspected PKK assailants attacked the Faysh Khabur crossing office and severely injured several Kurdistan Region border guards.

"More than 100 PKK members attacked our border office at Faysh Khabur border crossing point with Syria," Barbahari said then. The attackers threw Molotov cocktails and stones at the guards there.

"The PKK members severely injured a number of our border guards," Barbuhari said. The Faysh Khabur border has been crucial for cross-border aid to northeastern Syria and for importing food and construction material.