ALEPPO, Syria — Syrian refugees living in Turkey have been arriving at the Bab al-Salama border crossing, north of the town of Azaz in the northern countryside of Aleppo, to enter Syria and spend Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, with their families. The crossing’s administration is allowing Syrians to enter between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on May 18-31.

Since May 18, hundreds of Syrians have entered through the crossing every day, reaching a total of just over 8,300 Syrians currently. The crossing’s administration reported that on May 25 alone, 1,407 Syrians entered Syria. Ever since the crossing started to receive Syrian refugees from Turkey, many pre-booked their entry for the Eid holiday on the crossing’s website.

Al-Monitor visited Bab al-Salama crossing on May 24. Buses have been transporting families from the Turkish side of the crossing to the Syrian side around the clock. The buses stop in front of the administration building where the travel permits are stamped, and then people get back onto the buses to reach the station, 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) inside Syrian territory. Travelers seem pleased with the quick process and the buses that provide transportation.

Brig. Qassem al-Qasim, director of Bab al-Salama crossing, told Al-Monitor, “We expect over 25,000 people to enter Syria for Eid al-Fitr by May 31. On May 16, we announced a set of instructions and conditions that must be met in order for Syrians to enter. Among the conditions, only refugees who have received the Temporary Protection Card can spend the holidays in Syria, while Syrians who hold Turkish residency or citizenship, or a work permit from Turkey, cannot enter Syria.”