Syrian rebels, including members of an al-Qaeda-linked group, have captured a military post on the border with Jordan after four days of fighting, an activist group has said.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 26 government soldiers were killed in Saturday’s battle as well as a number of rebels, including seven foreign fighters.
The Ramtha post served in the past as the customs office on the border with Jordan.
It was turned into an army post years ago.
The post is on the outskirts of the southern city of Deraa where the uprising against President Bashar Assad’s regime began in March 2011.
The uprising later turned into a civil war that has killed more than 100,000 people, according to the UN.
Officials in Jordan refused to comment on the takeover, saying they would not issue statements on events that are taking place on the side of a sovereign state outside their territory.
The Naseeb-Jaber border crossing is the only operational post between Syria and Jordan. The Syrian side of it is under the control of the Syrian army.
There is close coordination between the governments in Amman and Damascus on security maintenance at the crossing.
Rebels control multiple areas along the borders with Jordan, Iraq, Turkey and Lebanon as well as the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
