The Jordanian army reported on Wednesday that a border guard was wounded and three smugglers were killed while intercepting an attempt to smuggle drugs from Syria.
According to a military source from the General Command of the army, the eastern military region, in collaboration with military security services and the Drug Enforcement Administration, successfully foiled an infiltration and drug smuggling operation from Syrian territory early Wednesday morning.
The operation resulted in the death of three smugglers, injuries to others, and the confiscation of significant quantities of drugs, which were subsequently handed over to the appropriate authorities. One member of the border guard sustained injuries during the confrontation with the smugglers, and his condition is reported to be critical.
Emphasizing the commitment to safeguarding Jordanian national security, the source reiterated the armed forces’ determination to vigorously combat any threats.
A week prior, Jordan’s Public Security Directorate announced the prevention of the smuggling of over 4 million Captagon pills and a quantity of crystal through the Naseeb/Jaber border crossing with Syria, attributing the attempt to “regional groups and gangs.”
Recent days have seen a verbal exchange between the Jordanian government and the Syrian regime, with the latter criticizing Jordanian raids in the southeastern countryside of Suweida. In response, Jordan held the regime accountable for border impunity and drug smuggling.
In January, airstrikes targeted residential areas in the neighbouring towns of Arman and Melh in the southeastern countryside of Suweida, resulting in the deaths of 10 civilians, including women and children, in Arman. Earlier, similar raids targeted homes of drug dealers and smugglers inside Syrian territory, resulting in two fatalities.
At the outset of 2024, the Jordanian army announced the deaths of five smugglers, the arrest of 15 others, and the seizure of drugs following 16 hours of armed clashes with smuggling groups attempting to breach the Jordanian border with Syria.
In December 2023, the Jordanian army thwarted six smuggling attempts within a week, involving 14-hour armed confrontations, preventing the smuggling of high-quality weapons and missiles. The clashes resulted in the death of a Jordanian officer, injuries to another, fatalities among smugglers, and several arrests.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
