Bab al-Hawa Border Crossing

There is a monumental Roman archway in Bab al-Hawa that was part of a city wall.{{cite book|author=Warwick Ball|title=Rome in the East|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QRAOvgcamzIC&pg=PA213|access-date=7 December 2013|date=16 January 2001|publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-0-415-24357-5|pages=213–}}{{cite book |author1=Terry Carter |author2=Lara Dunston|author3=Amelia Thomas|title=Syria and Lebanon |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=_R-I_Gx5OgQC&pg=PA127 |access-date=7 December 2013|date=1 July 2008|publisher=Lonely Planet |isbn=978-1-74104-609-0 |pages=127–}} There is a further complex of Byzantine architecture near the archway that has been largely destroyed and re-used in border construction. It features a church and another large rectangular building.{{cite book|author=John F. Haldon|title=Money, Power and Politics in Early Islamic Syria: A Review of Current Debates|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m3BJPtj_xAAC&pg=PA183 |access-date=7 December 2013 |date=30 September 2010|publisher=Ashgate Publishing |isbn=978-0-7546-6849-7 |pages=183–}}

In the ongoing Syrian Civil War, it was a frequent place of crossing for Syrians trying to reach the refugee camp in nearby Reyhanlı.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-jul-15-la-fg-syria-border-20120716-story.html|title= Syria rebels seek weapons, money on Turkish border |work=Los Angeles Times|date=15 July 2012|access-date=7 December 2013 |first=Patrick |last=McDonnell}} Drivers complained in December 2011 that they had been stalled at the crossing for days after customs officials stopped allowing vehicles with Turkish registrations to enter Syria.{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203501304577084254053850114 |title=Tension Rises at Turkey-Syria Border |work=The Wall Street Journal|date=8 December 2011 |access-date=July 20, 2012 |first=Marc |last=Champion}} The crossing is a major route for smuggling, particularly oil and gas, and during the conflict has seen a dramatic rise in weapons smuggling.{{cite news|url=http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=81039|title=Syria: Demonstrations to Celebrate National Independence Day of Syria|work=DayPress|date=11 April 2011|access-date=7 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005181745/http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=81039|archive-date=5 October 2018|url-status=dead}} On 19 July 2012, Syrian rebels from the Free Syrian Army seized the border and defaced images of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18918473 |title=Syria conflict: Rebels seize Turkey, Iraq border posts |work=BBC News |date=20 July 2012|access-date=7 December 2013}}{{cite news |url= http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/19/world/meast/syria-unrest/index.html |title=Syria shows al-Assad, amid speculation on his whereabouts |first1=Josh|last1=Levs|first2=Phil|last2=Gast|work=CNN |date=19 July 2012 |access-date=7 December 2013}}{{Cite news|title=Turkish truck drivers accuse Syrian rebel fighters of looting|author=Fulya Ozerkan|agency=AFP|newspaper=Your Middle East|date=22 July 2012|url=http://www.yourmiddleeast.com/news/turkish-truck-drivers-accuse-syrian-rebel-fighters-of-looting_8257|access-date=24 September 2012|archive-date=10 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010092013/http://www.yourmiddleeast.com/news/turkish-truck-drivers-accuse-syrian-rebel-fighters-of-looting_8257|url-status=dead}} On 22 July 2012, Turkish armed forces further restricted border crossings of their own nationals.{{cite news|work=Al Jazeera English |title=Turkey restricts border crossings with Syria|date=22 July 2012|access-date=7 December 2013 |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/07/2012722051127787.html}}

In September 2012 foreign jihadists raised the Jihadist flag of al-Qaeda at the border post, leading to a confrontation with the Free Syrian Army.{{Cite news|title=Syria: the foreign fighters joining the war against Bashar al-Assad|author=Ghaith Abdul-Ahad|journal=The Guardian |date=23 September 2012|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/23/syria-foreign-fighters-joining-war}}{{Cite web |title=Syrian Rebels Fear Radicals May Hijack Revolt |date=19 September 2012 |first=Deborah|last=Amos |publisher=NPR|url=http://kunc.org/post/syrian-rebels-fear-radicals-may-hijack-revolt|access-date=7 December 2013}} On February 11, 2013, a car bomb in a Syrian-registered minivan was detonated on the Turkish side of the crossing meters from the Cilvegözü customs office.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21409661|title= Syria crisis: 'Powerful' minibus explosion kills 13|work=BBC News |date=11 February 2013|access-date=7 December 2013}} Thirteen people—including 3 Turkish civilians—were killed, while 28 others were wounded and 19 vehicles were damaged.{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/world/middleeast/syrian-insurgents-claim-to-control-large-hydropower-dam.html |title=Syrian Insurgents Claim to Control Large Hydropower Dam |first1=Hwaida |last1=Saad |author-link=Hwaida Saad |first2=Rick |last2=Gladstone|work=The New York Times |date= 11 February 2013|access-date=7 December 2013}} The Turkish government labeled the bombing a terrorist act, and said that Turkey's interior, justice and customs ministers would visit the area to help the investigation.

On 7 December 2013, the Islamic Front took the crossing from the Free Syrian Army,{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-crisis-fsa-idUSBRE9B607S20131207|title=Syrian Islamists seize Western-backed rebel bases: monitoring group|publisher=Reuters|date=7 December 2013|access-date=7 December 2013 |first1=Alexander |last1=Dziadosz|first2=Dasha|last2=Afanasieva}}{{cite web | title=The border crossings of Syria's northwest | website=Syria Direct | date=21 December 2017 | url=https://syriadirect.org/news/the-border-crossings-of-syria%e2%80%99s-northwest/ | access-date=14 November 2018 | archive-date=14 November 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114224402/https://syriadirect.org/news/the-border-crossings-of-syria%e2%80%99s-northwest/ | url-status=dead }} and as of July 2014, they were manning the Syrian side with members of the Salafist militia Ahrar ash-Sham.{{Cite news |url= http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2014/Jul-21/264556-rebel-infighting-closes-bab-al-hawa-crossing.ashx |title= Rebel infighting closes Bab al-Hawa crossing |work= The Daily Star |date= 21 July 2014 |access-date= 22 September 2014 |archive-date= 29 September 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180929043310/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2014/Jul-21/264556-rebel-infighting-closes-bab-al-hawa-crossing.ashx |url-status= dead }} Ahrar a-Sham maintained control when the Islamic Front dissolved in 2015, but established a civilian administration for the border crossing in April 2015.

On 23 July 2017, hundreds of Ahrar al-Sham fighters withdrew with their equipment from the crossing and retreated to Turkey after Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) defeated Ahrar al-Sham in Idlib.{{cite web|url=http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCAKBN1A80T1-OCATP|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170723212728/http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCAKBN1A80T1-OCATP|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 23, 2017|title=Jihadist group cements control of Syria's Idlib province: rebels|work=Reuters|author=Suleiman Al-Khalidi|date=24 July 2017}} As a result, the crossing was largely closed by Turkey, with the exception of exports of humanitarian aid and food from Turkey.{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-turkey-idUSKBN1AQ0XN |title=Turkey limits border traffic at Syria crossing: customs minister|work=Reuters|author=Abed Kontar|date=10 August 2017}} On 26 July 2017, HTS and Ahrar al-Sham reached an agreement that they would hand over the crossing to a civilian administration so that the flow of humanitarian aid could resume. However, HTS retained control of the towns, villages and roads around it, leaving them in a decisive position. The crossing re-opened on 18 October. In November 2017, civil officials operating the crossing reported that all revenue generated (estimated at $25 million a year in late 2016) goes to the local civil administration. On the 3 March 2020, the US envoy to Syria James Jeffrey, visited the border crossing and supported the Turkish presence in the Idlib Governorate.{{Cite web|title=Top US officials visit Syria's Idlib and pledge aid as Turkey downs another jet|url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-craft-jeffrey-visit-idlib-aid-turkey-shot-syria-jet|access-date=2020-09-21|website=Middle East Eye|language=en}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://archaeologyexcavations.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/bab-al-hawa-archaeological-gate-links.html Bab al-Hawa - Archaeological Gate Links Syria and Turkey]

{{Syria border crossings}}

{{Former settlements in Turkey}}

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Category:Syria–Turkey border crossings

Category:Archaeological sites in Idlib Governorate

Category:Roman sites in Syria

Category:Byzantine architecture

Category:Tourist attractions in Syria

Category:Harem District