World

Syrian troops celebrate recapture of border crossing

07 of July 2018

This Thursday, July 5, 2018 photo provided by Nabaa Media, a Syrian opposition media outlet, shows smoke rising over buildings that were hit by Syrian government forces bombardment, in Daraa province, southern Syria. Syrian state media and a war monitor said Friday that government forces have captured new areas along the border with Jordan and are on the verge of reaching a main crossing between the two countries. (Nabaa Media, via AP),This Thursday, July 5, 2018 photo provided by Nabaa Media, a Syrian opposition media outlet, shows smoke rising over buildings that were hit by Syrian government forces bombardment, in Daraa province, southern Syria. Syrian state media and a war monitor said Friday that government forces have captured new areas along the border with Jordan and are on the verge of reaching a main crossing between the two countries. (Nabaa Media, via AP)

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian soldiers are celebrating the recapture of the main border crossing with Jordan, raising portraits of President Bashar Assad and tearing down rebel flags.

Troops captured the Naseeb border crossing a day earlier, after rebels announced they had reached an agreement with Russian mediators to end the violence in the southern province of Daraa and surrender the crossing.

State-run Ikhbariya TV showed troops at the crossing Saturday, some flashing victory signs and pumping fists in the air.

One officer told the TV that troops have taken up positions along the border with Jordan and are removing illegal crossing points.

The rebels seized control of the crossing in 2015, severing a lifeline for Syrian exports and disrupting a trade route between Syria and Jordan, Lebanon and the oil-rich Gulf countries.