ALEPPO, Syria — Al-Jabha al-Shamiya (the Levant Front) of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), stationed in the areas liberated during Operation Euphrates Shield in the countryside of Aleppo (also known as the liberated areas), handed over on Oct. 10 the Bab al-Salameh border crossing with Turkey to the opposition’s Syrian interim government.

On the same day, interim Prime Minister Jawad Abu Hatab toured the Bab al-Salameh crossing with Levant Front commander Hossam Yassin, Deputy Defense Minister Abdul Jabbar al-Akidi and Haitham Afisi, the deputy chief of staff of the Ministry of Defense in the interim government.

Minister of Finance in the Syrian interim government Abdullah Hamadi confirmed to Al-Monitor that the Levant Front handed over control of the border crossing and that the two parties formed a joint committee Oct. 11 in order to complete the handover process. Once in full control, he added, the interim government will improve operations and facilitate import and export activities at the crossing.

Raafat Junaid, director of the Information Office of the Levant Front, told Al-Monitor, “We have almost completed the handover of the Bab al-Salameh border crossing to the Syrian interim government, with all its resources, facilities and staff. The handover started Oct. 10, and the Bab al-Salameh crossing is now officially under the control of the Syrian interim government.”