SYRIA has agreed to reopen the main border crossing between Turkey and its rebel-held north-west for six months, the United Nations has announced.

Secretary-general Antonio Guterres welcomes the “understanding” reached following talks between UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths and Syrian officials, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said on Tuesday night.

The agreement will reopen the Bab al-Hawa crossing, which has been used for 85 per cent of deliveries to the jihadist-ruled north-west Idlib region.

Syria has also agreed to keep two other crossings to the north-west, Bab al-Salameh and al-Rai, open for three months until November 13, Mr Haq announced earlier on Tuesday.

On July 11, the UN security council failed to adopt either of two rival resolutions aiming to authorise further deliveries through Bab al-Hawa to Idlib province.

The region has about 4.1 million inhabitants, many of whom have been forced from their homes during the 12-year civil war, which has killed nearly a half million Syrians and displaced half of the country’s pre-war population of 23 million. 

Hundreds of thousands of people in Idlib live in tent settlements and relied on aid supplies delivered via the Bab al-Hawa border crossing.