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Damascus, Baghdad Say Albou Kamal Crossing to Be Opened Soon

An Iraqi border policeman looks through a pair of binoculars near the Iraqi-Syrian borders. (Reuters)
An Iraqi border policeman looks through a pair of binoculars near the Iraqi-Syrian borders. (Reuters)
    Damascus, London – Asharq Al-Awsat
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Damascus, Baghdad Say Albou Kamal Crossing to Be Opened Soon

An Iraqi border policeman looks through a pair of binoculars near the Iraqi-Syrian borders. (Reuters)
An Iraqi border policeman looks through a pair of binoculars near the Iraqi-Syrian borders. (Reuters)

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem and his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim al-Jaafari announced Monday that the Albou Kamal border crossing will be opened soon.

The portal is known as the Qaim crossing on the Iraqi side of the border.

The announcement coincided with the opening of Quneitra crossing in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Nassib crossing with Jordan.

“We are now looking at the interest of the Syrian and Iraqi people in opening up the Albou Kamal crossing... as soon as possible," Muallem said in a joint press conference with Jaafari in Damascus.

Three crossings link the two neighbors. Albou Kamal is the only one currently controlled by regime forces from the Syrian side.

Jaafari, for his part, said that the process of opening the crossings will be imminent even if it has taken some time.

He stressed that “there is no justification for this delay,” explaining that “the crossings for us are not only geographical, but they also have cultural, economic, political and even demographic importance.”

"Therefore, efforts have been put for the opening of these crossings, which bring good to the two countries,” Jaafari added.

Prior to the outbreak of the conflict in Syria in 2011, the Albou Kamal crossing formed a strategic corridor between the two countries.

In 2014, the crossing came under ISIS control, which announced the establishment of a so-called “caliphate” in large areas of Iraq and Syria before it was gradually driven out and defeated in late 2017.

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Houthis in Yemen Strip their Head of Govt of his Powers

The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)
The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)
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Houthis in Yemen Strip their Head of Govt of his Powers

The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)
The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)

The Iran-backed Houthi militias have prevented their so-called prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahwi, from naming the head of his office.

The Houthis have instead forced him to appoint a person of their choosing against his wishes, revealed informed sources in the Houthi-held capital Sanaa.

The Houthis are attempting to strip al-Rahwi, who was named as head of the militias’ new government, of his powers, making his appointment simply a cover for imposing their agenda and favoring Houthis who are descended of the line of their leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi.

The sources revealed that al-Rahwi had headed to the government headquarters with Rabih al-Mehdi, the director of the office of his predecessor. Mehdi hails from the Abyan province that is held by the legitimate government.

Al-Rahwi was seeking to keep al-Mehdi in his post. However, a leading Houthi member, Mohammed Qassem al-Kabisi, who used to occupy the position of government secretary, barred him from making the appointment.

Kabisi even prevented al-Mehdi from entering his office, resulting in an argument with al-Rahwi.

Kabisi informed al-Rahwi that he had no authority in naming the head of his office, saying that he does instead.

Al-Rahwi turned to the Houthis’ so-called ruling high political council to resolve the dispute and was informed that he should accept Kabisi as head of his office despite his objection.

A decree was issued days later naming Kabisi to the post.

He will effectively hold absolute power in government, while al-Rahwi will simply play a figurative role and only be needed to approve decisions and procedures taken by the Houthi leadership, joining other ministers who have no real duties.

The Houthis have formed a new government that will follow in the footsteps of its predecessor in keeping actual power to the militias themselves.

The new lineup includes a pro-Houthi figure, with no diplomatic background or experience, who was named foreign minister, replacing leading General People's Congress member Hisham Sharaf.

The appointment only fueled claims that the Houthis were seeking to eliminate their partners from rule. Al-Rahwi himself had no say in the lineup.

The Houthis announced the formation of their government on August 12. It met on August 17 to discuss its program, referred it to parliament the same day and by the next morning, an announcement was made that it was approved with no amendments or objections.

The incident with al-Rahwi has fueled speculation that the coming period will witness more struggles for power among the Houthis and their partners, whom they are trying to keep out of rule.

Observers noted that Kabisi is the son of a top Houthi leader. Qassem al-Kabisi is one of the founders of the group and is close to their leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi.

The senior Houthi officials believe they have the right to represent the Houthis in rule since they are its founders and oldest members.