Jordan's military on Monday unveiled a new phase of a border surveillance system that US officials say provides an effective defense against infiltration attempts, including by Islamic State militants.
The kingdom plays a high-profile role in the US-led military coalition against the extremists, who control large parts of neighboring Syria and Iraq.
Militants pose a potential threat to the security of Jordan, a staunch Western ally, and previously have attacked border points.
The border security system, partially funded by the US, includes radar and surveillance towers that enable Jordanian forces to spot suspected infiltrators several kilometers (miles) before they reach the border, said Col. Robert Paddock, defense attache at the US Embassy in Amman.
"Here, they can see anywhere along the entire border, what is going on, and then they can take appropriate action," Paddock told The Associated Press at the command center.
With the completion of the second phase, marked by Monday's event, the system now operates along all of the Jordanian-Syrian border, Paddock said. Work along Jordan's border with Iraq is underway and is to be completed by the end of the year, he said.
Alice Wells, the US ambassador to Jordan, said the surveillance enhances Jordan's security significantly. "I don't think anyone is talking about an invasion of Jordan (by Islamic State militants), but what we are talking about is the ability of individuals to try to infiltrate the border and this is a highly effective defense against that," she told the AP.
