By Laith Al-Jnaidi
AMMAN, Jordan (AA) — Jordanian Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh announced Friday the closure of the Jaber border crossing with Syria, the only operational crossing between the two nations, citing security concerns.
The decision, reported by the official news agency Petra citing Al Farrayeh, was made “due to the surrounding security conditions in southern Syria.”
Under the directive, Jordanian nationals and Jordanian trucks will be allowed to return to the kingdom, but outgoing traffic to Syria will be prohibited.
The minister emphasized Jordan’s ongoing monitoring of developments in Syria, adding that the armed forces continue to secure the border.
Since the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011, the crossing has been closed multiple times, starting in April 2015 when it remained shut for three years. It was reopened in October 2018.
Jordan and Syria share two main border crossings. The Al-Gomruk Al-Qadim crossing, known as Ramtha on the Jordanian side, has been out of operation for years due to the Syrian conflict. The Nassib crossing, on the other hand, corresponds to Jordan's Jaber crossing, which has intermittently functioned amid the turmoil.
In Syria, clashes between opposition forces and regime troops have intensified since Nov. 27. By Nov. 29, opposition forces captured Aleppo and subsequently gained control of Idlib province the following day.
After securing Aleppo and Idlib, opposition forces took Hama on Thursday after fierce battles with regime forces.
On Friday, opposition fighters began advancing into neighborhoods in Homs, starting from the western al-Waer district, aiming to push toward the city’s center.
In early December, the Syrian National Army launched “Operation Dawn of Freedom” to thwart attempts to establish a terrorist corridor between Tel Rifaat in Aleppo province and northeastern Syria. The operation succeeded in liberating Tel Rifaat from PKK/YPG terrorists.