According to rebel officials and activists, violence intensified across southern Syria as regime and opposition forces continued to battle for control of the Jordanian-Syrian border on Monday, preventing thousands from fleeing to Jordan.
Jordanian military officials say they are prepared for the potential outbreak of chemical warfare in southern Syria, with a 270-strong US special task force based along the border to assist Amman in emergency response to any potential chemical weapons threat.
Jordan has opened its borders to over 570,000 Syrians since the onset of the conflict in March 2011 — a number UN officials expect to surpass 1.3 million by the end of the year.
“It seems that there may be chemical weapons in Syria, and if there are, it is our duty to protect our citizens, border villages and particularly the Zaatari Refugee Camp,” he said, referring to the country’s largest Syrian refugee camp, which lies some 15 kilometres away from the Jordanian-Syrian border.
