by Taylor Luck | Mar 04,2012 | JORDAN TIMES
AMMAN — Syrian authorities are implementing a crackdown restricting the entry of Syrian nationals into Jordan, activists say, reducing the flow of refugees into the Kingdom to their lowest levels since the start of the year-long crisis.
According to Syrian activists, border officials have started turning away civilians at the Jaber border crossing, previously the only crossing point open to passenger movement.
“At first they started turning away families and women, anyone who looked like they were escaping to Jordan,” Shadi Bardan, of the southern region local coordination committee told The Jordan Times from the southern Syrian city of Nasib.
“Now no one can get through.”
The Kingdom has been the preferred destination for the majority of activists fleeing ongoing military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, receiving at least 78,000 Syrian nationals since the start of the crisis last year.
The new restrictions in passenger movement coincides with an increased Syrian military presence near the border region, with opposition figures citing a recent deployment of a 2,000-troop “reinforcement brigade” to reassert control over regions currently held by military defectors.
The increased military presence has led to a rise in clashes between forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) near Daraa, some 10 kilometres away from the Jordanian-Syrian border, leading to dozens of injuries, according to the FSA.
According to activists, in addition to wresting control from opposition strongholds, the security crackdown also aims to prevent refugees from crossing into Jordan illegally, often the only option for political dissidents and relatives of those linked to anti-government protest.