Civilian deaths alleged in Jordanian airstrikes on Syria as Damascus condemns 'unacceptable violation'

Jordan's air force carried out strikes on southern Syria on Monday evening. Jordan says the strikes, which targeted what it called the hideouts of terrorist organisations, killed around 20 Islamic State (IS) militants. The country has also acknowledged that there were civilian casualties in the strikes.

In a statement, the Jordanian military said Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) fighter jets destroyed a number of terrorist locations, killing and wounding several terrorists and destroying their equipment. The operation was carried out in retaliation for a recent attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Karak that reportedly killed nine people, the statement said.

Government spokesperson Mohammad Al-Momani said the strikes followed intelligence about imminent terrorist threats. According to him, more than 20 IS operatives were killed and a 'major' weapons depot was destroyed.

Al-Momani added that Jordan had 'avoided' civilian sites and regretted 'unintended casualties', stressing that the country has 'deep respect' for the Syrian state and people.

Syria's foreign ministry has condemned the strikes, calling them an 'unacceptable violation' and a breach of Syrian airspace without any prior coordination.

Syria's civil defence agency put the death toll from the strikes at seven people. In a social media post, the agency said an airstrike in Daraa Governorate killed five people from the same family — three children, a woman and a man.

According to the agency, an 80-year-old was also killed in the strikes on Daraa, while a 60-year-old was killed in Suwayda Governorate.

Nassouh al-Salim, from the village of Al-Taf in the Daraa region, told the AFP news agency: 'We were asleep when the missile hit us. My mother, my older brother and his three children — two boys and a girl — were killed.'