The Jordanian army has killed dozens of drug smugglers who have infiltrated Syria

Reuters

27/01/2022

Thursday, January 27, 2022, 4:00 p.m.

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on Twitter

• Share on Email

• Share on general

• Comments

  Comments

Jordanian soldiers killed at least 27 armed smugglers today (Thursday) and wounded others who crossed the border from Syria in the early hours of the morning when a blizzard occurred, the army in the kingdom said, adding that the smugglers carried a large amount of amphetamines. Others fled back to Syria following the exchange of fire.

The Jordanian army has changed the rules of opening fire following an increase in smuggling from the neighboring country in the past year, but this has been the deadliest incident of its kind in recent years. The Jordanian army said the smugglers were supported by "other armed groups".

"Iron-crippled those who dare to mess with our national security," the Jordanian army said in a statement. The army did not specify at what point on the border with Syria, which stretches along 370 km, the infiltration took place, but Syrian sources pointed to an area northeast of the city of a joint town in Jordan.

A Syrian source involved in the incident said several groups of smugglers had begun crossing the border on foot under a blanket of fog already, and they had been ambushed by Jordanian forces who had been ordered to open fire at them.

Another Syrian source said that among the 80 at least smugglers who took part in the extensive operation, about 50 were missing and apparently dead.

• news

• World news

• the Middle East

Tags

• Jordan

• Syria