Syrian Defense Minister, Jordan’s Army Chief Hold Rare Meeting

Syrian Defense Minister and Chief of Staff Ali Ayyoub met in Jordan with the head of the country’s military. Sunday’s meeting over the situation on the two countries’ border is the first since the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011.

Ayyoub and Jordan’s Lt.-Gen. Yousef Hunaiti discussed the situation over the city of Deraa in southern Syria, where rebels last month surrendered in a Russian-brokered cease-fire, as well as drug smuggling and terrorism.

The talks were held to “intensify future coordination over all common issues,” according to a statement from the Jordanian army, Reuters reported.

Since the outbreak of the conflict in Syria, Jordan supported the Western-backed rebels, in part due to the presence of Iranian presence in the Syrian army.