Jordan-Syria Security Talks Follow Deadly Air Strikes

Syria is reopening the Nassib border crossing with Jordan after a brief closure prompted by Jordanian air strikes in southern Syria. Regular passenger and commercial traffic is expected to resume on Wednesday morning, according to Syria’s state news agency, SANA. The strikes, carried out on Monday, targeted sites Jordan described as ISIL “hideouts.” Jordan said the operation was a response to a Friday shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, Jordan, for which ISIL claimed responsibility. The air strikes killed at least seven people in Syria’s Deraa and Suwayda provinces. Among those killed were five members of one family, including three children. Syria’s Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management said response teams attended attacks at four sites. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said the strikes relied on field intelligence and were intended to neutralise confirmed threats and imminent attacks against Jordan. He also expressed deep regret over civilian deaths and affirmed respect for Syria’s sovereignty and stability. The two countries have agreed to establish a security committee to examine the aftermath of the strikes and improve field and intelligence coordination against terrorist threats while protecting civilians. Jordan had said the strikes were coordinated with the Syrian government, but Damascus denied this claim. The agreement followed a phone call between the countries’ foreign ministers, Safadi and Asaad al-Shaibani. The church shooting in Karak killed at least nine people and injured 34. Jordanian security forces arrested two brothers and their brother-in-law on suspicion of carrying out the attack. The article reports both the border reopening and the continuing investigation and diplomatic coordination surrounding the deadly strikes.

Al Jazeera’s video newsfeed item, published on 28 October 2026, reports on people killed in Jordanian air strikes in southern Syria. According to the brief description, the strikes killed at least seven people, including three children. The item says it presents the victims’ stories, but the supplied text does not include their names, personal accounts, the precise locations or timing of the strikes, or further details about the circumstances of the deaths. It also provides no statements from Jordanian or Syrian officials and no additional context about the strikes or the conflict. The article’s central focus, as indicated by its headline and description, is the human toll of the air strikes rather than a detailed account of military or diplomatic developments. The report therefore conveys the scale of the reported loss and signals that the accompanying video gives attention to those affected. Because only a short description was provided, further details about the victims or the video’s contents cannot be established from the text.

Jordan and Syria have agreed to establish a joint security committee to review Jordanian air strikes on Syrian territory and address any consequences for relations between the two countries. Jordan says the strikes killed at least 20 Islamic State (ISIS) members and were launched in retaliation for a church attack in Jordan the previous week that killed nine Christians. Syrian authorities, however, reported that seven people were killed in the strikes, including three children, a woman and an elderly man. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Al Shibani, that the strikes were based on field intelligence and intended to neutralise confirmed threats and imminent attacks against Jordan’s security. Safadi expressed “deep regret and sorrow” over civilian deaths, offered condolences to Syrians and said Jordan prioritised the safety of Syrian civilians as it did its own. The two foreign ministers reaffirmed the countries’ deep historical ties and said issues that could strain relations should be addressed through frank and responsible dialogue. They described the security and future of Jordan and Syria as closely interconnected. The governments also reiterated their co-operation against terrorism and cross-border smuggling of drugs and arms. Jordan has supported the Syrian government led by President Ahmad Al Shara since it took power in December 2024, following the overthrow of Bashar Al Assad’s former regime. King Abdullah II and Al Shara have agreed to deepen co-operation, particularly on border security. The strikes prompted the temporary closure of the Nassib crossing, Jordan’s only border crossing with Syria open to passenger and commercial traffic. Syria said traffic would resume on Wednesday, October 28, after the crossing was briefly shut. The committee is intended to examine the strikes and their repercussions amid the countries’ stated commitment to maintaining co-operation.