Sun May 26, 2013 22:09:18
Jordan is going to deploy missiles near its borders with Syria as US Senate voted in favor of bill that authorizes arming militants in the war-torn country, raising fears of more instability in the region.
"Jordan wishes to deploy Patriot missile batteries in order to boost its defense capabilities and help protect the country," Jordan’s Information Minister Mohammed Momani told a news conference on Sunday.
"We are currently at the stage of talks with friendly states," said Momani, who is also government spokesman, declining to elaborate.
A NATO source said last week that four batteries of Patriot missiles have arrived in Turkey as part of a mission by the alliance to protect the Turkish border from any spillover of the conflict which Ankara has been one of its major supporters.
Syria has been struggling with a massive bloody insurgency, with militants and terrorist groups coming from across the Europe and Arab countries to fight against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Assad, who has vowed not to leave the country in turmoil, has repeatedly warned of the soaring risks of militants gaining power in Syria, which would produce a "domino effect” destabilizing the whole region.
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