Jordan and Syria tout close ties, but border smuggling and strikes tell another story – analysis
A church attack in Karak, a Jordanian strike in southern Syria and a foiled 2 million-pill smuggling run have raised tensions in a region that also borders Israel’s Golan.
Over the past week, tensions have risen between Jordan and Syria following an attack on a church in Karak and a Jordanian airstrike in southern Syria. Southern Syria borders both Jordan and Israel's Golan Heights. Israel has carried out numerous raids into Syria since the fall of the Assad regime. Jordanian authorities have intercepted smuggled narcotics, with two million pills seized recently.
This issue is not new, as Jordan has been concerned about drug smuggling from Syria for years, a practice that the Assad regime supported during its rule. Recently, Syria has not backed such activities, yet smugglers persist through Sweida region, exploiting tensions between Druze communities and the Syrian government. Jordanian authorities also found nine automatic firearms and GPS devices following a suspicious bag discovered in Mochi area.
The bag likely drifted from Jordan's southern border. Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani reaffirmed that the two nations maintain strategic relations and close security and military cooperation to secure their shared border and regional stability. However, challenges remain, including cross-border militias, armed groups, and instability in southern Syria, particularly in Daraa and Sweida. Jordan remains focused on securing its borders and maintaining stability in the region.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
