Jordan redeploys soldiers along border with Syria

The Jordanian military is redeploying its forces along the kingdom’s lengthy and porous border with neighboring Syria in light of the worsening security situation on the frontier.

The London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Hayat, citing Jordanian sources, reported on Monday that the military high command has put strict limits on leave for its soldiers and officers who are normally stationed along the frontier with Syria, especially those from units near important areas.

A Jordanian security official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the targets appeared to have been foreign-sponsored militants who escape from fighting with government forces in southern Syria.

On April 16, Jordanian warplanes struck and destroyed a number of vehicles that reportedly attempted to cross border from Syria.

A Jordanian security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the targeted vehicles had machine guns mounted on them and appeared to belong to Syria-based militants seeking refuge from the battle against Syrian army in southern Syria.

Western diplomats say Jordan has received hundreds of millions of dollars from Washington over the past two years to beef up security at its border with Syria. Amman has constructed scores of observation towers with the latest surveillance equipment.

Jordan has tightened controls along the 370-kilometer border to try to prevent Jordanian militants who have joined the militants in Syria from crossing back into Jordan.