Syria-Jordan Nassib border crossing to reopen, with a joint security committee to probe the deadly air strikes

Syria is reopening its border crossing with Jordan, and the two countries will investigate Jordanian strikes on suspected ISIL (ISIS) sites that killed seven people in southern Syria.

Nassib, Jordan’s only border crossing with Syria, will reopen on Wednesday morning, with regular passenger and commercial traffic resuming, the state news agency SANA reported.

The crossing was briefly closed following Jordanian airstrikes on Monday that targeted ISIL hideouts in southern Syria. According to a Jordanian military statement, the strikes were in response to a shooting by gunmen at a Greek Orthodox church in Jordan’s Karak on Friday. ISIL took responsibility for that attack.

Jordan’s strikes killed at least seven people in Deraa and Suwayda, including five members of the same family, three of whom were children. Syria’s Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management said its teams had responded to attacks at four sites.

The two countries also agreed to form a security committee to examine the aftermath of the strikes, the foreign ministers said in a statement following a phone call between the two countries’ top diplomats.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Monday’s air attacks were based on field intelligence and aimed at neutralising confirmed threats and imminent terrorist operations targeting Jordan’s security.

Safadi expressed deep regret over civilian deaths in his call with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and stressed Jordan’s respect for Syria’s sovereignty and stability.

Jordan had claimed that the strikes were coordinated with the Syrian government. Damascus denied that claim.

In addition to investigating the attacks, the security committee will develop field and intelligence coordination in dealing with terrorist threats, to ensure the protection of innocent civilians.

The church shooting claimed the lives of at least nine people and wounded 34 others. Jordanian security forces arrested two brothers and their brother-in-law on suspicion of carrying out the attack.