Clash reported between Jordan and Syria in border area
Syrian refugees at the Al Zaatri refugee camp in the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria. The Al Zaatri camp is one of many set up along the 85-km border between Jordan and Syria under the management of the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR, with the help of local charity groups. — Reuters picAMMAN, Aug 11 — Fighting broke out between Jordanian and Syrian forces in a border region between the two countries late yesterday, but a Jordanian source said no one on Jordan’s side appeared to have been killed.
It was the most serious incident between the two countries since the uprising in Syria against President Bashar al-Assad began 17 months ago.
A Syrian opposition activist who witnessed the fighting said armoured vehicles were involved in the clash in the Tel Shihab-Turra area, about 80 km north of the Jordanian capital Amman, that occurred after Syrian refugees tried to cross into Jordan.
“The Syrians fired into Jordan at 10.30 p.m. in pursuit of refugees and the Jordanians responded. The fighting escalated and Jordanian armoured vehicles hit two Syrian border guard outposts,” said the activist, giving his name only as Abdallah.
“The fighting was intense for an hour and now it is intermittent,” he said.
A Jordanian source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “The Syrian side fired across the border and fighting ensued. Initial reports indicate that there has been no one killed from the Jordanian side.”
Tens of thousands of Syrians have crossed into Jordan since the start of the uprising. — Reuters
