Home · Business · Oct 27 archive
Jordan Claims 20+ ISIS Militants Killed in Syria Strikes
Confirmed
In Short: Jordan says its airstrikes killed more than 20 Islamic State militants in southern Syria, but Syria condemns the strikes as a violation of sovereignty.
Jordan's air force struck what it described as militant hideouts in southern Syria on Monday, targeting suspects linked to last week's church attack that killed nine people.
Jordanian security officials said they had arrested two brothers and their brother-in-law following a shootout related to the church attack.
Syria's Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes, calling them a violation of its sovereignty. The Syrian government said the strikes were carried out without prior coordination, despite Jordan's claim of coordination with Damascus.
Jordan's Government Communication Minister Mohammed al-Momani said the country regrets any civilian casualties from the strikes. Syria reported that the strikes killed seven people, including three children and a woman.
The strikes have inflamed tensions between the two US allies, despite their agreement last year to form a committee to secure their border and combat arms and drug smuggling.
While Jordanian authorities initially stated there was no prior planning of the church attack, the justification for the cross-border strikes has added to the confusion.
"Today, as you can see, these are people just trying to make a living, tending to their sheep and goats and doing manual labour. We condemn what happened in the Jordanian state, of course," a Syrian official said in response to the strikes.
What this adds
The strikes come amid heightened tensions in the region, with US forces also striking Iranian tankers and Iran retaliating with attacks on a base in Jordan hosting US troops.
What's confirmed
- Jordan's air force struck what it described as militant hideouts in southern Syria on Monday, targeting suspects linked to last week's church attack that killed nine people.
- Jordanian security officials said they had arrested two brothers and their brother-in-law following a shootout related to the church attack.
- Syria's Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes, calling them a violation of its sovereignty. The Syrian government said the strikes were carried out without prior coordination, despite Jordan's claim of coordination with Damascus.
- Jordan's Government Communication Minister Mohammed al-Momani said the country regrets any civilian casualties from the strikes. Syria reported that the strikes killed seven people, including three children and a woman.
- The strikes have inflamed tensions between the two US allies, despite their agreement last year to form a committee to secure their border and combat arms and drug smuggling.
- While Jordanian authorities initially stated there was no prior planning of the church attack, the justification for the cross-border strikes has added to the confusion.
- "Today, as you can see, these are people just trying to make a living, tending to their sheep and goats and doing manual labour. We condemn what happened in the Jordanian state, of course," a Syrian official said in response to the strikes.
What's still developing
- Jordan has been a longtime partner to the US in its fight against extremism, while the Islamist-led government of Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who wants to restore the country's relations with the West after overthrowing longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in 2024, said it was seeking to curb extremism.
- Monday's strikes have nevertheless sparked anger in Syria.
- No group has claimed responsibility for the shooting, although Jordan said the militants it targeted in Syria were members ofIslamic State.
- US official said that US forces have struck multiple Iranian tankers tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in response to attempted missile attacks on a US warship, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.
- Early Wednesday, Iranian military said it attacked a base in Jordan hosting US troops.