Jordan boosts security along Syria border after Damascus warning

Jordan has increased security along its border with Syria after the Damascus government warned the kingdom against hosting training camps for militants operating in Syria.

A Jordanian security official said on Friday that the kingdom has doubled the number of soldiers along its 370-kilometer border with Syria as it fears Damascus may retaliate for Amman’s support for foreign-backed militants fighting against the Syrian government.

Jordan is also installing more cameras, radars and sophisticated early detection equipment in the border area.

The unnamed official said that Jordan was hoping to receive one or two US Patriot missile batteries to be stationed on its northern border.

On Thursday, the Syrian government warned Jordan that it was “playing with fire” by allowing the US and other countries to train and arm militants seeking to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad on its soil.

The Syrian warning came after statements from US and other Western and Arab officials said that Jordan has been facilitating arms shipments and hosting training camps for militants operating in Syria since October 2012.

Syrian state media has also accused Amman of adopting a policy of “ambiguity” by training anti-Syria militants while at the same time publicly insisting on a “political solution” to the Syria crisis.

Syria has been experiencing a deadly unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.

Damascus says the West and its regional allies including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey are supporting the militants.