BEIRUT: Syrian government forces on Friday reached a vital border crossing with Jordan and raised the national flag for the first time in years, state media reported, reinstating sovereignty over a key region that potentially reopens the way for Syrian exports to Arab countries.

State news agency SANA said the capture of the Naseeb border crossing happened on Friday afternoon after a deal was reached between rebels and Russian mediators to end the violence in southern Syria.

The capture of the Naseeb border crossing is another victory for President Bashar Assad’s forces, who have regained control of most of the country’s key cities from insurgents in recent years with the help of powerful allies Russia and Iran. It came after a crushing government offensive that began June 19 to retake southern Daraa province and the nearby Quneitra region that borders the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The assault has forced more than 330,000 residents to flee toward the sealed Jordanian border and the frontier with Israel in one of the largest displacements in the seven-year Syrian conflict. Dozens have been killed.

Rebels seized control of the crossing in 2015, cutting a major lifeline for Syrian exports and disrupting a major trade route between Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and oil-rich gulf countries.

There was no immediate comment from Jordan on the Syrian forces’ recapture of Naseeb crossing. On Twitter, Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Amman was holding talks with all parties to the Syrian crisis focused on ensuring the return of the displaced.

“The solution is political and the protection of civilians, preventing their displacement and saving the (Syrian) brothers more suffering is everyone’s responsibility,” he wrote.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2018