Syrian military chief makes rare visit to Jordan

First discussions since start of the 10-year war covered border security and intensifying coordination.

Syria’s defence minister visited Jordan to discuss stability on their mutual border, the first such meeting since the Syrian conflict erupted about 10 years ago when the two neighbours supported opposing factions.

Sunday’s meeting followed a major army offensive to retake the last rebel bastion in southern Syria, and after re-establishing control this month over Deraa, a main city south of Damascus, in a Russian-brokered deal that averted an all-out military assault led by Iranian-backed units of the army.

Jordanian army head Lieutenant-General Yousef Hunaiti met Syrian Defence Minister and Chief of Staff Ali Ayyoub over the Deraa situation and to discuss issues such as the fight against “terrorism” and drug smuggling in the area, Jordan’s army said.