Jordan said on Monday it was discussing developments in southern Syria with Washington and Moscow and that all three parties agreed on the need to preserve a "de-escalation" zone they brokered last year and which has reduced violence. The truce, the first US peacekeeping effort in the war under Donald Trump's presidency, has reduced violence in a particularly sensitive region that includes Syrian territory bordering Israel. Earlier on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that only Syrian government troops should have a presence on Syria's southern border, which is close to Jordan and Israel. "The result of this work which should continue and is continuing should be a situation when representatives of the Syrian Arab Republic's army stand at Syria's border with Israel," Lavrov said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has reported Syrian army movements into the south and state media have reported leaflet drops on rebel-held areas there urging insurgents to accept government rule, two signs a military offensive may be coming.

Source: dna May 28, 2018 12:56 UTC