Jordan carried out air strikes in southern Syria late on Monday, killing at least five civilians, including women and children, according to Syrian state media. Meanwhile, Amman said the operation targeted Daesh sites following a deadly church attack in Jordan.
The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported strikes on several locations in Daraa province, saying seven people were killed. Two injured people in Muzayrib, in the western countryside, were taken to Tafas National Hospital, according to the provincial health director.
Among those killed was a 65-year-old man from Daraa city’s Tariq al Sadd neighbourhood who died from shrapnel wounds, the provincial health director said.
Jordan’s army said earlier that it had struck sites belonging to “terrorist organisations” in southern Syria linked to Friday’s attack on mourners at Hamoud Church in Jordan’s Karak province, which killed nine people.
The army said the strikes killed and wounded members of the groups and destroyed sites and vehicles, but did not identify the organisations or provide locations or casualty figures.
Jordan says strikes targeted Daesh
Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad al Momani said on Tuesday that the strikes killed more than 20 Daesh members and destroyed a major weapons depot.
He said the operation followed a period in which Jordan had “run out of patience” with terrorist group movements and threats to its national security.
“The operation was based on field intelligence aimed at neutralising confirmed threats and planned terrorist attacks against Jordan,” Momani said.
He expressed regret over civilian casualties, saying Jordan had avoided striking locations where intelligence indicated civilians were present.
Jordanian security forces arrested three suspects in the church attack on Monday after a shootout in Karak. All three were wounded, while no security personnel were injured, according to Jordan’s Public Security Directorate.
Damascus condemns strikes
Syria on Tuesday condemned the strikes by Jordan. A foreign ministry statement expressed "condemnation and rejection, in the strongest terms", calling the strike "an unacceptable violation and breach of Syrian airspace without any prior coordination".
It also said the attack was "a blatant violation of the principles of good-neighbourliness and Syrian national sovereignty".
The Syrian government also said that the Jordanian strikes were conducted without prior coordination and that an investigation was under way.
Damascus said it was supporting those affected and had conveyed its objections to Jordan, stressing the need for joint security and field coordination on operations in border areas to safeguard Syria’s sovereignty and the security of both countries.
Jordan said it respected Syria and its people and that coordination between Amman and Damascus on counterterrorism and weapons and drug smuggling had been ongoing for years.
Momani said Jordan and Syria would establish a joint committee to follow up on the consequences of the operation and strengthen coordination against Daesh while protecting civilians.
He said Jordan supported Syria’s security, unity and internal stability and was committed to developing cooperation in confronting shared challenges.
“Jordan’s security and Syria’s security are one,” Momani said, adding that countering terrorism remained a shared objective.
The Syrian authorities said the strikes had killed seven people, while SANA reported five civilian deaths and two injuries in the attacks.
