The UN announces that a deal has been reached with Syria to reopen border crossing from Turkey

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations has announced that an agreement has been reached with Syria to reopen the main border crossing from Turkey to its rebel-held northwest for six months. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the “understanding” reached following talks between U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths and Syrian officials, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said. The agreement will reopen the Bab al-Hawa crossing which has been used for 85% of deliveries to the northwest Idlib region. Haq’s statement followed his earlier announcement that Syria has agreed to keep two other crossings to the northwest, Bab al-Salameh and al-Rai, open for three months, until Nov. 13.