Daraa Border Crossing

Daraa Border Crossing
Carries Commercial Goods, Vehicles, Train
Crosses Border between Jordan and Syria
Locale Jordan Ar Ramtha, Jordan
Syria Daraa, Syria
Official name Daraa Border Crossing
مركز درعا الحدودي

The Daraa Border Crossing (Arabic: مركز درعا الحدودي‎‎) is an international border crossing between Syria and Jordan. It is located between the cities of Daraa in Syria and Ar Ramtha in Jordan. It is situated along the Damascus-Amman section of the Hejaz Railway.[1]

During the Syrian Civil War, rebel forces took control of the crossing in September 2013.[2]

On 10 December 2015, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) made heavy gains inside the city of Daraa leaving them in striking distance of the old Daraa border-crossing with Jordan which is commonly referred to as the Al-Jamrak Crossing.[3]

Thus, government troops were able to impose full control over the al-Manshiyah district whilst simultaneously pushing south along the M5-Highway and capturing several buildings inside the Daraa al-Balad quarter.

Islamist rebels still remain in control of both major border-crossings with Jordan, Nassib (captured in April, 2015) and Daraa (seized in October, 2013). Nevertheless, the SAA has also managed to enter the strategic town of Sheikh Meskin as of November this year leaving the armed regional opposition in an uncertain position.

With today's advances inside Daraa, the government has now established control of the majority of the city. If the SAA was to capture the border-crossing, they would be able to halt the flow of weapons and manpower supplied to the opposition from Jordan.[4]

As of 8 January 2015, a decisive battle is taking place in southern Syria and for the first time in several months; it is taking place along the Jordanian-Syrian border.

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) lost the Nassib border-crossing into the Kingdom of Jordan in April 2015, marking the end of the government’s presence along the vast border that stretches as far west as the Golan Heights.[5]

However, after months of fighting with the Islamist rebels of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in the provincial capital of the Dara’a Governorate, the Syrian Arab Army’s 5th Armored Division is finally within a few hundred meters of the Jordanian-Syrian border-crossing.

On Thursday afternoon, the Syrian Arab Army’s 5th Armored Division – in close coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) – advanced to the final point in the Al-Manishiyah Quarter of Dara’a City before reaching the Nayef border-crossing to the Jordanian province of ‘Irbid.

Overwhelmed and exhausted, the Islamist rebels issued a distress call to their allies in the region to help them beat back the advancing government forces.

The Islamists were able to hold their positions at the Dara’a Border Inspection Facility; however, their backs are currently against the wall, as the Syrian Armed Forces are within a few hundred meters of the provincial capital’s border-crossing.[6]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.lonelyplanet.com/syria/transport/getting-there-away
  2. ↑ Roggio, Bill (29 September 2013). "Al Nusrah Front, Free Syrian Army seize border crossing to Jordan". The Long War Journal. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  3. ↑ https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/saa-on-the-verge-of-capturing-daraa-border-crossing/
  4. ↑ https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/saa-on-the-verge-of-capturing-daraa-border-crossing/
  5. ↑ https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-army-closes-jordanian-border-daraa/
  6. ↑ https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-army-closes-jordanian-border-daraa/

Coordinates: 32°36′11″N 36°4′56″E / 32.60306°N 36.08222°E / 32.60306; 36.08222

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