Preventing freight trucks from crossing at Al Batha border crossing… What is the reason?

Dozens of trucks loaded with various goods were piled up, with Syrian, Jordanian, Iraqi and other drivers stranded at Saudi Arabia’s Al Batha crossing on the border with the United Arab Emirates for several days.

The problem has been exacerbated by the fact that trucks coming from the UAE to Jordan and elsewhere through the Saudi Al Batha crossing have been prevented from entering the Saudi border and stopped at the UAE’s Al-Ghuwayfat crossing, drivers said.

The drivers added that the Saudi authorities prevented Jordanian trucks from entering the Saudi border crossing, increasing the number of trucks that have been stopped since last Monday between the Saudi Al Batha and the UAE’s Al Ghuwaifat ports to more than 200 trucks.

Many drivers posted videos on social media showing truck congestion at the crossing and the conditions of drivers who are living in extremely difficult humanitarian conditions due to high temperatures, limited services and few amenities, especially during Ramadan.

Questions of cause

Commenting on the case, Omar Rahmoun, spokesperson for the Syrian Reconciliation, said in several tweets: “Who is responsible for Arsal

“Drivers at the Saudi Al Batha crossing – many of them Syrians or Iraqis of Arab and Asian nationalities – cannot afford to be overcrowded,” he said. “They spend long hours driving, exposing themselves to the risks of traffic accidents and road surprises.

Resentment via Twitter

A Twitter user said: Al Batha border crossing has stopped the entry of any commercial trucks, and hundreds of trucks are congested for the second day at the crossing. There is no consideration for the harsh weather conditions in the region and the lack of services available for drivers at the crossing. Are these decisions related to the mood of the Al Batha customs employees?

معبر البطحاء يوقف دخول أي شاحنات تجارية قادمة وتكدس مئات الشاحنات لليوم الثاني في المنفذ ولا تضع أي أعتبار إلى ظروف الطقس القاسية التي تتعرض لها المنطقة و قلة الخدمات المتاحة للسائقين في المنفذ فهل هي قرارات مرتبطة بمزاج موظفي جمارك البطحاء! pic.twitter.com/xekbzoHrc4

— جيلان محمد (@21_gab) April 4, 2023

Another tweet noted that solving the Al Batha crossing problem requires cooperation and joint efforts to improve working conditions for drivers and facilitate better and more efficient transport of goods, calling for providing integrated services for drivers at border crossings, including health facilities, accommodation and food.

إن حل مشكلة معبر البطحاء يتطلب تعاوناً وجهوداً مشتركة لتحسين ظروف عمل السائقين وتسهيل عملية نقل البضائع بشكل أفضل وأكثر فعالية يجب توفير خدمات متكاملة للسائقين في المنافذ بما في ذلك المرافق الصحية والإقامة والغذاء. pic.twitter.com/pPAozM78zf

— فاطمة العراقي (@jorex_tinams) April 4, 2023