Relations between Damascus and Syria’s Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration took a sharp turn for the worse this week after the Administration ordered the closure of all crossing points linking its territories with government-controlled areas in the Tabqa, Raqqa, and Deir Ezzor regions, citing “serious security developments” and escalating military tensions.
In a circular identified as No. 32, the General Administration for Border Crossings and Arrivals—an Autonomous Administration body—said the shutdown would remain in effect “until further notice.” The Administration argued that the decision was compelled by safety concerns for civilians, staff, and travelers, and accused the “transitional government in Damascus” of closing crossings on its side first, creating conditions it said could no longer guarantee secure passage.
The order includes limited exemptions for “urgent humanitarian cases” and accredited humanitarian organizations, reflecting mounting concerns that a full halt in civilian movement and trade could deepen an already fragile humanitarian and economic picture across the northeast.
A Vital Trade Artery Cut
The closure immediately raised fears of renewed price shocks in areas under Autonomous Administration control. Local sources in al-Hasakah and Raqqa told the independent outlet Enab Baladi that markets saw a noticeable uptick in consumer goods prices hours before the shutdown was announced, driven by anticipation of disruption and by heightened military anxiety.
Crossings such as Tabqa, west of Raqqa city, are widely considered critical commercial arteries for transporting foodstuffs and basic goods from other parts of Syria into northeast Syria. With supply routes already constrained by insecurity and fragmented authority, traders and residents expect knock-on effects in the form of higher prices and intermittent shortages—especially for staples moved in bulk via internal land routes.
The new closure also sits atop a chain of tit-for-tat restrictions. According to reporting cited by Enab Baladi, a series of closures began in early November when the Syrian government imposed restrictions, and then expanded this month when local internal security in Deir Ezzor shut several river crossings—including al‑Shuhayl and Dhiban—on Jan. 9.
Where the Closures Bite
Contact points between the two sides are spread across two key corridors:
Raqqa governorate: Tabqa and al‑Akirshi crossings
Deir Ezzor governorate: al‑Salihiyah land crossing, plus multiple Euphrates River crossings using ferries and boats
The geography matters. The Euphrates has long served as both lifeline and fault line—enabling local trade and travel while also marking shifting zones of military control. Closing formal crossings risks pushing civilians and smugglers toward more dangerous informal routes, and complicates the movement of humanitarian assistance unless exemptions are implemented smoothly.
Conflicting Accusations at Hamima
Damascus-aligned media presented a sharply different account of events at one crossing point, emphasizing claims of civilian risk and obstruction by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Syria’s state news agency SANA quoted Farhad Khourto, identified as a member of Aleppo governorate’s Executive Office and deputy head of the Central Response Committee, saying government-affiliated bodies were stationed on the government side of the Hamima crossing in the eastern Aleppo countryside on Thursday morning, waiting to facilitate civilian departures. Khourto alleged the SDF prevented civilians from crossing and erected concrete and earthen barriers—described as booby-trapped—that blocked access.
He further claimed that around 200 civilian cars were stranded inside the area and that civilians faced threats of sniper fire if they approached the crossing. Khourto said emergency measures were in place, including ambulances, medical teams, and nearby shelters, anticipating that residents might be forced to remain for “a day or two.”
The Autonomous Administration did not publicly adopt SANA’s version of events in the statement cited by Enab Baladi, instead framing the closures as a protective step amid “serious security developments” and reciprocal restrictions by Damascus.
Aleppo Flashpoint: Communication Cut and Siege Claims
The crossing closures come as northern Syria faces fresh friction lines, particularly around Aleppo. Kurdish-affiliated reporting circulated claims that since Jan. 6, communications have been fully severed with the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud (Şêxmeqsud) and Ashrafiyah (Eşrefiyê), which Kurdish outlets described as coming under attack by armed factions linked to the Syrian “transitional government” and backed by Turkey.
The same reporting alleged renewed siege conditions, large-scale displacement, killings, raids on homes, detentions of young people, and restrictions preventing displaced residents from returning. Accounts also referenced heavy bombardment and alleged war crimes, describing missing persons and mass displacement figures, though such claims are difficult to independently verify amid the information blackout described by Kurdish sources.
Kurdish Movement Figures Warn of Wider Escalation
Adding to the political temperature, Sozdar Avesta, a member of the KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Presidential Council, argued in a televised interview on Sterk TV that the violence in northern Syria should not be treated as a narrow security issue. She framed the attacks as part of a broader strategy targeting Kurdish political gains and linked them to regional dynamics involving Turkey and the Kurdish question beyond Syria.
Avesta referenced a March 10, 2025, agreement (as she described it) between SDF leadership and Damascus authorities, claiming that implementation was derailed by outside pressure and that only one demand—disarmament—was being emphasized at the expense of political and constitutional guarantees for Syria’s communities. She also warned that developments in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah raised suspicions about deeper preparations for expanded confrontation.
Photo: ANF