Jordan and Iraq on Wednesday (August 30th) reopened their only border crossing, saying security had been restored three years after the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) seized control of frontier areas, AFP reported.

In a joint statement, the two countries' governments said the crossing, called Trebil in Iraq and al-Karameh in Jordan, was reopened after it was "secured... against attacks by criminal gangs".

The border crossing is part of a crucial route linking the Iraqi and Jordanian capitals.

The route passes through the vast desert province of Anbar, where ISIS maintains some of its last bastions, including the towns of Rawa, Anah and al-Qaim, more than 200 kilometres north of the border post.

The reopening of the post is a sign of increasing stability in the area and the restoration of commercial traffic will be important for the economies of both countries.

Adel al-Massudi, head of international affairs at Iraq's commerce ministry, said he expected Iraq to resume importing goods from Europe through Trebil and use it to export products including oil.

The interior ministers of Jordan and Iraq, Ghaleb Zohbi and Qassem al-Araji, said in separate statements that the reopening of Trebil was also a victory over "terrorism".

"The reopening of this vital crossing signifies the will to confront terrorism... and our determination to restore life to its normal course in this area," Zohbi said.

His Iraqi counterpart added: "Terrorism wanted to shut this crossing, as if to say we are ending life... but we want life and hope to persist."