Forest fires close border between Türkiye and Syria

The Kessab checkpoint on the border between Syria and Türkiye has been closed amid the spread of forest fires, according to the Syrian newspaper Al Watan.

"The General Directorate of Syrian Land and Sea Border Points announced that the temporary closure of the Kessab checkpoint to civiluans due to the spread of forest fires in the mountains near the coast and their approach to the border wall",

the message reads.

The fires have been raging in Syria's Latakia for over a week ago. The passage through the checkpoint remains open only for firefighting equipment and humanitarian organizations from Türkiye, which are providing assistance to the neighboring state in the fight against forest fires.

Firefighters from Qatar and Jordan are also extinguishing fires in Syria. Iraqi emergemcy crews are also expected to join the firefighting operations.