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AMMAN — Hundreds of Syrians poured into Jordan early Monday as regime forces reportedly intensified bombing campaigns across southern Syria.

According to the Jordan Armed Forces, some 600 Syrians crossed into the Kingdom early Monday, raising the total number of new arrivals over the past 48 hours to over 1,000.

The influx came as regime forces allegedly intensified shelling across southern Syria, with Jordanian security sources and Syrian rebel officials reporting heavy clashes and bombardment in the border towns of Daal, Al Taybeh, Al Shajarah and Daraa.

Local residents and activists claimed that the shelling directly threatened the lives of some 5,000 displaced civilians who had reportedly sought refuge in the under-siege border towns and villages.

Monday's bombings killed 10 displaced civilians across the border region, according to Free Syrian Army officials, raising to 200 the total number of refugees allegedly killed in Damascus’ ongoing aerial offensive across southern Syria.

The endangered refugees are among an estimated 18,000 displaced civilians who have been prevented by the violence from crossing into Jordan and remain stranded in the border region.

Jordan has opened its borders to over 1 million Syrians since the onset of the conflict in March 2011 — over 600,000 of them classified as refugees.

UN officials have renewed calls on the international community to step up its support to host countries such as Jordan, warning that Syria’s neighbours may reconsider their open-border policies due to dwindling resources and growing security concerns.

AMMAN — Police on Sunday announced the arrest of four men who allegedly responsible for dozens of vehicle thefts and armed robberies in various parts of the country.

“We arrested four individuals last week and are looking for eight more suspects,” a senior police source told The Jordan Times.

He said the four men were arrested in “a joint and clean operation” conducted by personnel from the Gendarmerie and preventive security departments.

The suspects were referred to the State Security Court prosecution and were charged on several counts, including attempted murder, forming an armed group, armed robbery, assault and aggravation against civilians, abduction, possessing automatic weapons and vehicle theft.

The group was behind the theft of 105 vehicles in various parts of the country, according to an official statement released by the Public Security Department press office.

“The suspects would negotiate with the owners of the vehicles to give them back in return for ransom,” the source explained.

He said the police are looking for eight other suspects, noting that “such arrest campaigns are ongoing to protect citizens and their properties.”

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania kicked off the new year with a visit on Monday to two orphan care centres where she joined orphans in several fun activities and checked on the level of services provided to them.

Queen Rania’s first stop was at the Hamzah Bin Abdul Muttalib Society where she checked on its orphan care centre.

Located in the east Amman neighbourhood of Marka, the centre currently provides social services to 21 girls aged between six and 18 years who are either orphaned or come from broken and impoverished families, according to a statement from Her Majesty’s office.

The services provided by the care centre range from providing food and shelter to parental guidance and education.

The facility also has a general medical and dental clinic that provides healthcare services to orphans as well as the local community, the statement said.

Her Majesty toured the centre accompanied by Abd Al Latif Rashdan, director of the society, and Rabia Al Khasawneh, director of the care centre.

The Queen then visited the Dar Al Aytam-Society located in downtown Amman, where she spoke with orphans benefiting from the society and checked on the services they receive from the society and its school.

Founded in 1969, the Dar Al Aytam Society currently cares for 28 boys aged between six and 12 years who are either orphans or come from disadvantaged families.

The Public Security Directorate recently renovated the facility as part of its corporate social responsibility, according to the statement.