FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

Russians Working To Reopen Highway from Gaziantep, Turkey to Aleppo, Syria

March 11, 2019 (EIRNS)—Russia is involved in another initiative, this one with Turkey, that, if it succeeds, will have a major impact on economic development in northwestern Syria. Al Masdar News (AMN) reported today that Russia is working to reopen the highway that runs from Gaziantep, Turkey, to Aleppo in Syria. The highway enters Syria at Azaz, and much of it is controlled by Turkish-backed jihadi groups. Reopening it would involve the Turkish military facilitating the dismantling of jihadi checkpoints along the Turkish-controlled portion of the highway south of Azaz, and the Russians doing the same regarding checkpoints in Syrian government-controlled areas. If the Aleppo-Gaziantep Highway is reopened, this would provide a large boost for the Syrian economy, because it will allow residents to once again resume trade and commerce in Turkey, reports Al Masdar.