Jordanian Army Shoots Down Drug-Laden Drone from Syria, Vows to Protect Border

Shafaq News/ The Jordanian army announced on Wednesday that it had successfully intercepted and shot down a drone carrying drugs from Syria en route to a border area north of the Kingdom.

Jordan reiterated its commitment to preventing the border region from becoming a battleground in the drug war associated with Iran, according to Reuters.

The Kingdom holds "pro-Iranian militias" responsible for smuggling drugs across its borders toward the Gulf states and alleges that units of the Syrian army protect these militias.

Damascus claims to be trying to curb smuggling and continues its operations to control smuggling gangs in the southern regions. Syria denies the involvement of Iranian-backed forces associated with its army and security forces in these illicit operations.

The significant increase in smuggling attempts over the past year prompted Jordan to revise its rules of engagement at the border, empowering the army to use overwhelming force if necessary.

"The Jordanian armed forces will continue to deal forcefully and decisively with any threats along the border and any attempts to undermine the security of our homeland, destabilize the country, and terrorize our citizens," stated the Jordanian army in a released statement.

The drone was detected within Jordanian territory and subsequently shot down.

Western drug control officials and Washington have identified war-torn Syria as a primary location for a multi-billion-dollar drug trade in the region.

Jordanian officials claim to have raised their concerns with Syrian authorities but have not witnessed any genuine efforts to combat the illicit trade.

According to local and Western intelligence sources, Oman conducted rare airstrikes in southern Syria last month, targeting a drug facility associated with Iran and eliminating a smuggler allegedly involved in trafficking significant quantities across the border between the two countries.

These strikes were a message to Damascus, underscoring that Jordan's actions should not be misinterpreted as it engages in Arab efforts to reconcile with Syria.

The Syrian government denies involvement in the drug industry and smuggling operations. Iran dismisses these allegations as part of Western conspiracies.

Hezbollah, too, denies involvement in the drug trade and dismisses Jordan's accusations as part of Washington's campaign to undermine Iran's regional influence.