On Monday, just a day after the fall of Bashar Al-Assad’s government in Syria, dozens of Syrians and Jordanians converged at the Jaber-Nasib border crossing. Some were packed to leave, while others waited anxiously for the return of loved ones.
The crossing, some 86 km north of Amman, is modestly equipped. On one side, two gates accommodate cargo trucks and cars exiting Jordan; on the other, a single gate handles vehicles, buses, and trucks returning to Jordan.
The overthrow of Assad on Sunday led to celebrations among Syrians, especially in Turkey and Lebanon, where many refugees began returning home. In Jordan, the mood was more subdued. Smaller numbers of travellers arrived at the border, uncertain of what to expect.
Ismaeel Al-Hamed, 27, from Busra al-Sham, had travelled from the UAE to return to Syria. Pulling two suitcases with a backpack strapped to his shoulders, he said: “I am going to celebrate the liberation.”
Ismaeel left Syria in 2021 to avoid mandatory military service. “I dreamt of finishing my sociology degree and working in that field, but because of what happened under Bashar’s regime, that was impossible,” he told The New Arab.
Now, “we are liberated,” he said. “The criminal government of Bashar al-Assad is no more. We are free.”
But his return through Jordan was not certain when we first interviewed him.
[Natascha Tahabsem]
On Friday, Jordan closed its border with Syria, citing security concerns. The closure, announced by Interior Minister Mazen Faraya and reported by the Jordan News Agency Petra, came just days before Assad’s ousting. By Sunday, Jordan allowed Syrians who had entered with their vehicles to return home, but clear guidance was lacking.
Cars with Syrian license plates were permitted to cross. However, Jordan-registered cars, including cross-border taxis, were stuck. Many drivers were forced to halt their work, waiting for further instruction.
Drivers had been left in limbo since Friday and were caught off guard by the decision to close the border and limit their work.
“We’re waiting for the Jordanian government to allow us to deliver our passengers, even just to the last gate on the Jordanian side. This would help us serve the riders and sustain our own livelihoods. We want business to continue,” said Akram Al Mkahal, a driver with 22 years on the job.
Passengers, including Ismaeel, had been stranded, some waiting since Sunday night. “Some have had to sleep here,” Akram added.
His car was packed with luggage and passengers, with belongings of different people jumbled together on top of the vehicle. “We’re ready to sign agreements to follow any rules, but we need permission.”
[Natascha Tahabsem]
Anas Al-Mutleb, who left Syria in 2013, was facing similar challenges as Ismaeel.
Anas lived in Oman after he left Syria. Upon hearing of Assad’s ousting, he left the Gulf country, travelling to Jordan via Egypt, in the hope of returning home.
“It is a beautiful feeling, to be able to go back. I hope we can serve this country like it served and raised us,” Anas told The New Arab.
He opted for the Jordan route because it was the “best and most practical crossing point.” But by mid-Monday, he had been waiting since 2 am for a Syrian-registered car to free up space to take him into Syria, given that authorities had barred Jordanian vehicles from passing through.
“All my family is waiting for us on the Syrian side,” he continued.
“The Jordanian people have been so kind and welcoming, and we thank them for their generous hospitality.”
Anas’ sentiment was echoed among Syrians leaving Jordan. An elderly man, speaking in a TV interview nearby, expressed gratitude to Jordan for its hospitality.
[Natascha Tahabsem]
In another car, stacked with mattresses, a message on the rear window read: “Thank you, Jordan, from the heart to the heart,” accompanied by a heart drawn beneath it with a white marker.
At least a dozen others waited alongside Anas and Ismaeel on the Jordanian side of the crossing, unable to enter Syria, as of 2 pm.
Drivers tried negotiating with authorities to adopt a back-to-back system, where passengers could be dropped at the farthest end of the Jordanian side of the border and picked up by Syrian vehicles. Then, they would return with anyone waiting on the Syrian side who wants to come to Jordan.
By 2:30 p.m., it seemed this system was agreed upon.
Before leaving, Akram said, “We see ourselves as the first line of defence for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and we are willing to take the risk of going into Syria to retrieve Jordanian citizens and return safely.”
Anas and Ismaeel both rode with Akram to the last gate on the Jordanian side.
On Wednesday, Ismaeel confirmed via Messenger that he had safely returned to Syria. “Alhamdullilah, I arrived,” he said, adding, “Things will get better, InshaAllah.”
On the returning side of the Jaber crossing, some waited for returning relatives.
Muhammad Musa Al-Muhameed and his sister, Sundus, arrived at the border around 1 pm. They were waiting for their father, Musa and mother, to join them in Jordan.
On Friday, Mazen Faraya, the interior minister of Jordan, had stated that Jordanians and Jordanian trucks will be allowed to return to the kingdom, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.
Muhammad Musa, a Jordanian citizen, had been living in Syria since 2015 with his Syrian wife and children. The family’s youngest, a two-year-old, was still in Syria.
Muhammad and Sundus managed to enter Jordan, but their father was not granted entry.
“We did not get a reason,” Muhammad Musa said.
The family is still waiting for instructions. “We are hoping to reunite in Jordan or we are planning to go back to Syria to be together,” he added. “We need to know the next steps.”
On Wednesday, Muhammad Musa said he remains hopeful and is searching for clarity and resolution. But, they have yet to be reunited.
Jude Taha is a Palestinian-Jordanian freelance journalist and editor, who focuses on visual and written storytelling
Follow her on Instagram: @judetaha
Natascha Tahabsem is an independent photojournalist covering politics, culture and social movements across North America and the MENA region
Follow her on Instagram: @nataschatahabsem
