A Jordanian army officer was killed and three army personnel were injured on Sunday as a result of attempts to stop drug smugglers entering Jordan from Syria.
Jordanian sources reported that Capt. Mohammed Yasin Khdeirat died and three of his colleagues were wounded following an exchange of fire along the country’s northeastern borders with Syria.
The exchange occurred at 04:00 local time when the drug dealers opened fire and the “Jordanian soldiers returned fire to the source of the shooting.”
The Jordanian army captured large drug shipments as the smugglers abandoned their location and fled back to Syria,
“The army will respond with all strength and resolve any infiltration attempt to protect our borders and prevent anyone who dares to violate our national security,” a Jordanian army statement said.
Syria is responsible for the smuggling of drugs to Jordan, a military analyst and retired Jordanian Air Force major general told.
“The borders with Syria are a source of threat to Jordan, both from the point of view of terrorism as well as that of the drug trade.”
