Jordan kills over 20 Islamic State militants in Syria airstrikes
by@Reuters
Summary
Jordan announced that its military killed more than 20 Islamic State militants in airstrikes on southern Syria following a rare church attack in Jordan linked to militants in that region. The church attack, which resulted in nine deaths, prompted Jordan to target what it described as militant hideouts. Syria's government reported that the strikes caused the deaths of seven people, including three children, and condemned the action as a violation of its sovereignty. Despite this, both countries have expressed intentions to cooperate on border security through the establishment of a joint security committee, aiming to address cross-border extremism and enhance relations.
Analysis
Jordan: The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a stable US ally in the Middle East with a long history of partnering with Washington to counter extremism in the region. In the current development, Jordan carried out airstrikes in southern Syria targeting Islamic State militants it linked to a recent church attack inside its borders. Jordanian officials have publicly expressed regret over civilian casualties reported from the operation. Islamic State: Islamic State is a militant group with cross-border operations in the Middle East that Jordan has actively targeted in its counter-extremism efforts. The group was the stated focus of Jordanian airstrikes in southern Syria following a deadly church attack in Jordan. Jordanian authorities described the militants struck as members of Islamic State operating from hideouts across the border. Salah Mahwash: Salah Mahwash is a local resident of Al-Mismiyah in southern Syria who witnessed the aftermath of the reported airstrikes. He described the incident's impact on a civilian family in the area during an interview with Reuters at a funeral. His account provides a ground-level perspective on the effects of the Jordanian operation. Ahmed al-Sharaa: Ahmed al-Sharaa is the president of Syria heading an Islamist-led government. He has pursued efforts to rebuild Syria's ties with the West following the 2024 overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad. Under his leadership, Syria condemned the Jordanian strikes as a sovereignty violation while agreeing to establish a joint security committee with Amman. Mohammed al-Momani: Mohammed al-Momani is Jordan's Government Communication Minister. He addressed the outcomes of the cross-border strikes on X, stating that Jordan regrets the civilian casualties reported in Syria. His remarks form part of Jordan's public response to the incident and its regional implications. Incident Trigger: The airstrikes followed a rare church attack in Jordan that authorities linked to militants operating from southern Syria. Diplomatic Context: Syria's government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa is seeking to improve relations with the West while addressing cross-border extremism concerns with Jordan. Security Cooperation: Jordan and Syria have agreed to form a joint security committee to strengthen border security and prevent militant incidents.
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