Cross-border traffic and trade between Syria and Türkiye continued to surge in the first eight months of 2026, with more than 1.23 million travelers and 46,480 commercial trucks passing through the Öncüpınar (Bab al-Salama) border crossing.
That's according to Syria's General Authority for Land and Sea Ports and Customs, which said the trucks, moving in both directions, carried nearly 1.1 million metric tons of goods over the period.
Meanwhile, more than 73,000 Syrians reportedly returned voluntarily to Syria through the crossing during the first eight months of the year.
The increased movement comes as Syria and Türkiye seek to strengthen border infrastructure and facilitate trade and transportation, enhancing the role of border crossings in boosting economic ties and opening overland trade routes linking Türkiye and Syria with Arab markets.
On the Turkish side, modernization and expansion work is underway at border crossings with Syria to accommodate growing passenger, truck and cargo traffic. The Öncüpınar Customs Gate in Kilis province, opposite Syria's Bab al-Salama crossing, is among the main crossings undergoing development to increase capacity and improve the flow of traffic.
According to information reported by Anadolu Agency (AA), citing Türkiye's Trade Ministry, modernization work is continuing at Öncüpınar, while plans are being prepared to build a new service building there. Development work is also underway at several other border crossings with Syria, including Cilvegözü, Akçakale, Çobanbey and Karkamış.
The upgrades come amid growing trade and transportation between Türkiye and Syria. Bilateral trade increased by about 45% following the political change in Syria, reaching $3.75 billion in 2025, while trade rose 16% in the first seven months of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier.
Turkish authorities are working to increase the capacity of border crossings to accommodate the growing traffic. According to the Trade Ministry, construction and project-planning work is underway at several crossings, including the expansion of truck yards, the addition of lanes, the construction of service facilities and the upgrading of infrastructure.
At Öncüpınar, a project is being prepared to build a new service building. At Çobanbey, plans call for expanding the crossing's area from about 21,000 square meters to 71,000 square meters, while Karkamış is set to expand from 15,000 square meters to 90,000 square meters, alongside the construction of permanent service facilities.
Data from the Öncüpınar truck tracking system show that daily freight traffic remains active. On Sept. 7, the system showed that processing had reached truck No. 610.
The developments are part of growing customs cooperation between the two countries. This April, Türkiye and Syria began work under a joint customs committee mechanism aimed at improving coordination, facilitating border and trade procedures, reducing unloading and reloading operations, and strengthening mechanisms for the direct delivery of goods.
In July, the Trade Ministry said developing transportation corridors through Syria would strengthen the region's role in international trade, particularly by connecting Türkiye with Arab and Gulf markets through Syrian territory.
Türkiye and Syria are also working to reopen additional border crossings, including the Nusaybin-Qamishli crossing, which is expected to resume operations before the end of the year.
