A Jordan - Syria Rapprochement?

Syrian Gen. Ali Ayoub (L) and Jordanian Gen. Yousef Huneiti met in Amman on Sunday. (File/AFP)  

Middle East Eye: Syrian defence chief makes rare visit to Jordan to discuss border issues 

During the meeting officials discussed mutual border concerns, the situation in Daraa, cross-border drug smuggling and terrorism 

Syria's defence minister made a trip to Jordan on Sunday to discuss stability on their mutual border, the first such meeting since the Syrian conflict erupted a decade ago, officials said. 

The meeting comes after Syria's army reestablished control this month over Daraa, a city south of Damascus, in a Russian brokered deal that averted an all-out military assault.  

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More News On Syria's Defense Chief Making A Visit To Jordan 

Syria’s defense chief meets Jordan’s army commander in Amman -- Arab News/AP  

Syria military chief makes rare visit to Jordan to discuss border issues -- Jerusalem Post/Reuters  

Syrian military chief makes rare visit to Jordan -- Al Jazeera  

Syria's defense chief visits Jordan to discuss border security -- Al-Monitor

Is The U.S. About To Open A New Front In Syria?

Jesse Marks, National Interest: Is Donald Trump About to Launch an Operation in Southern Syria?

It's imperative that the president does not bring U.S. soldiers into open conflict with the regime.

As coalition forces inch closer toward the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa, increased U.S. military activity on Jordan’s northern border suggests that the fight against ISIS will soon expand to southern Syria.

Despite the Trump administration’s vocal objection to the Assad regime recently, it has largely stuck to its guns—literally—in its commitment to fight ISIS. The United States, which has long prioritized support for the Syrian Democratic Forces, has now expanded its support to “vetted” members of the Syrian opposition in the south. This change in tactics introduces new potential consequences.

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WNU Editor: Both Israel and Jordan want the U.S. to step up military operations in southern Syria .... and they both probably want a buffer zone created. But I fail to see how this can play out in anyone's favour in the long term .... in the end the U.S. will have to leave.

Many Are Now Seeing The Syrian Civil War Spreading

Jordan Fears The Worst As Syria Conflict Threatens To Destabilize Wider Region -- The Guardian

Lebanon and Iraq see more violence and other Middle East countries raise level of military readiness

In the northern Jordan villages – some almost split by the border with Syria – people who have watched the flow of refugees into their country are "holding their breath".

The sentiment is the same as in the other neighbouring countries, Lebanon, Turkey, Israel and Iraq: a fear that the Syrian conflict, which has already claimed more than 100,000 lives could spill over and destabilise the wider region.

The fear is not unfounded. Already the consequences of the Syrian war are being felt beyond its borders.

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My Comment: Every country's military in the region is now on high alert .... waiting for the other shoe (i.e. the Americans) to drop. I expect this destabilization to continue .... with even Europe being impacted as thousands of refugees continue to flee.

Syria Accusses Jordan Of Aiding And Hosting Rebel Camps

US President Barack Obama walks with Jordan's King Abdullah II to a ceremony in Amman, March 22, 2013. (photo by REUTERS/Larry Downing)

Syria Accuses Jordan Of Hosting Rebel Training Camps -- L.A. Times

BEIRUT -- A Syrian government newspaper accused Jordan of hosting training camps for opposition fighters and warned its neighbor that it was risking getting entangled in Syria’s 2-year-old conflict.

The rebuke printed in an editorial on the front page of state-run al Thawra newspaper follows recent U.S. and British media reports that describe Jordan as providing a place for rebels to be trained with American support. Jordan has denied the existence of such training camps.

One aim of the alleged training is to create a buffer on Jordan’s border that could host fighters and help handle the flow of refugees. More than 1.2 million Syrians have fled their homeland since the start of the uprising against President Bashar Assad. More than 400,000 Syrian refugees are in Jordan.

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More News On Growing Tensions Between Syria And Jordan

Jordan’s assistance to rebels ratchets up tensions with Syria -- Washington Post/AP
Syria slams Jordan for hosting U.S.-backed rebel training -- Haaretz/AP
Jordan and US step up training of Syrian rebels: 3000 officers could be deployed at end of April -- Al Bawaba
U.S., Jordan step up Syrian rebel training -- UPI
U.S., Jordan stepping up training of Syrian opposition -- Washington Post
Jordan Snared in Syrian Crisis -- Jean-Loup Samaan, Al-Monitor.

My Comment: The Syrian government may be pointing one finger at the Jordanians .... but other groups are pointing three fingers at the Syrian government and what they are now doing.

Syrian - Jordanian Soldiers Exchange Gunfire On The Border

Syria And Jordan Troops Clash On Border -- The Australian

JORDANIAN and Syrian forces have traded gunfire on their border.

According to a Jordanian security source, "brief" clashes broke out between the two armies in the Tal Al Sihab region after Syrian forces opened fire on some 300 refugees attempting to flee into Jordan. The Syrians had targeted Jordanian forces by mistake.

Jordanian soldiers returned fire, said the source, igniting a fierce 10-minute-long battle between the two sides.

Saudi Arabian news network Al Arabiya reported two Jordanian soldiers were injured, a claim both the source and Jordanian officials denied.

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My Comment: It's having repeated incidences like this one that is probably forcing these Jordanian soldiers to respond.