ALBAWABA – The Jordanian Armed Forces announced on Sunday that a drug smuggler was killed in an armed confrontation between Jordanian border guards and a group of smugglers attempting to cross into the country from Syria.
A military spokesperson from the General Command of the Armed Forces said in an official statement that "Jordanian border guard units engaged armed smugglers who tried to infiltrate the northern border of the kingdom during the early hours of Sunday."
The spokesperson confirmed that "one officer from the border guard was injured during the clash, while one smuggler was killed, and the rest fled back into Syrian territory." The injured officer was evacuated by air to a military hospital, where his condition was reported as stable.
The statement also revealed that large quantities of narcotics, two automatic rifles (Kalashnikovs), and a pistol were seized during the operation. The confiscated items have been handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation.
Jordan has faced frequent smuggling attempts involving weapons and narcotics, particularly Captagon pills, since the onset of the Syrian crisis. However, such incidents have notably decreased following the toppling of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024.
This marks the second reported smuggling attempt to be foiled since that time. Previously, such cases were almost daily occurrences due to the fragile security situation in Syria.
The Jordanian military has emphasized that some smuggling operations are "well-organized" and sometimes involve the use of drones and armed protection groups. This has prompted Jordan to deploy its air force multiple times to intercept and neutralize such threats.
