In brief
On Nov. 9, Lebanon’s Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny and Syrian officials opened the Dabousieh‑Aboudiyeh crossing linking the Akkar region with Homs province, showcasing upgraded security equipment and expecting daily traffic of thousands of passengers and hundreds of trucks. The move is expected to strengthen economic ties and ease congestion on other border points.
On Monday, November 9, 2026, Lebanon and Syria reopened the Dabousieh‑Aboudiyeh border crossing that links the northern Akkar region of Lebanon with the western Homs province of Syria. Lebanese Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny and Syrian officials attended the ceremony in Homs, where new scanners and security systems were unveiled. The event was live‑streamed, and crowds gathered to watch the opening.
Officials toured the crossing’s facilities and noted its advanced scanners, security systems, and modern infrastructure, including a 30‑meter wide customs checkpoint and digital fingerprint scanners. A dedicated freight yard was also highlighted as part of the upgraded site.
Rasamny said the crossing should accommodate 8,000 to 10,000 passengers and 150 to 200 trucks each day. He emphasized that this level of throughput would support daily freight trucks carrying consumer goods and agricultural produce, which currently must transit through longer routes. The opening is expected to divert traffic from the more congested Bekaa corridor, allowing customs officers to process arrivals faster.
The project is part of a $1.5 billion investment declared by Lebanon and Syria in 2025 to upgrade infrastructure across 15 key border points. Officials plan to introduce biometric e‑passport checks by next year, making the crossing one of the first fully automated points in the region.
Both sides view the reopening as a key step toward solidifying economic ties and easing travel constraints for citizens who have long faced cross‑border restrictions.
