Jordan’s military says it has carried out airstrikes against what it described as “terrorist organisations” in southern Syria, in retaliation for a deadly gun attack on a church in Jordan that killed nine people and injured more than 20 others.
The strikes were conducted on Monday, October 26, targeting several positions allegedly linked to those responsible for the attack, according to the Jordanian military.
Jordan said its air force destroyed several militant positions and killed and wounded numerous individuals connected to the church attack.
However, Syrian authorities have reported civilian casualties, raising concerns over the impact of the operation.
Three Suspects Arrested in Jordan
Hours before the airstrikes, Jordanian security forces arrested three suspects following a dawn shootout in Karak.
The suspects were identified as Hazza Zaidan Mohammed and Meshal Zaidan Mohammed, who are brothers, and their brother-in-law, Ahmad Sami Hussein. All three are Jordanian nationals.
Security officials said the suspects had barricaded themselves inside an abandoned house and opened fire when authorities moved in. They were wounded during the confrontation and taken to hospital.
No security personnel were reported injured in the operation.
Deadly Attack on Church
The retaliatory strikes follow a shooting at the Greek Orthodox St. George’s Church in Hammoud village, in Jordan’s Karak Governorate, on Friday, October 23.
Gunmen reportedly opened fire during a funeral service, killing nine people and injuring more than 20 others.
Karak, located about 90 kilometres south of the capital, Amman, is home to a significant Christian community. Christians constitute an estimated two to three per cent of Jordan’s predominantly Muslim population.
Following the attack, the Jordanian government declared three days of national mourning. No group has claimed responsibility for the shooting.
Syria Reports Civilian Deaths
Syrian Civil Defence personnel and health officials in Daraa province say the Jordanian strikes killed between seven and eight civilians, including three children, a woman and two elderly men aged 60 and 80.
Five members of one family were reportedly killed when a tent was struck in Al-Tai village in Daraa. Other strikes were reported in Daraa and Suwayda provinces.
The casualty figures and circumstances surrounding the reported civilian deaths have not been independently verified.
Dispute Over Coordination
Jordan says the military operation was coordinated with the Syrian government in Damascus. Syrian authorities, however, have denied any coordination and condemned the strikes as a “treacherous attack”.
In response, Syria has closed its main border crossing with Jordan, the Nassib crossing, to passengers and commercial traffic and launched an investigation into the strikes.
The developments have heightened tensions between the two neighbouring countries, as questions remain over the circumstances of the church attack, the reported civilian casualties in Syria and the potential implications for cross-border relations.
Story by Ama Frimpomaa