Jordan, Syria form joint committee to probe deadly airstrikes

Jordan and Syria agreed late Tuesday to establish a joint security committee to investigate deadly Jordanian airstrikes in southern Syria, as Amman expressed regret over civilian casualties while defending the operation as targeting imminent threats.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi reached the agreement during a phone call late Tuesday, according to a joint statement. The committee will examine the specific details of Monday's strikes and their aftermath while developing mechanisms for intelligence sharing and enhanced coordination on the ground.

Regret and justification

Safadi expressed "deep regret and sorrow" over the civilian deaths and offered condolences to the Syrian people, according to the statement. He affirmed Jordan's respect for Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, noting that the security and stability of the two neighboring countries were inextricably linked.

The Jordanian minister said the strikes targeted ISIS sites and were based on intelligence regarding confirmed threats and imminent attacks against Jordan. He stressed the need for direct security coordination to counter shared threats and combat cross-border weapons and drug smuggling.

Background and reactions

The Jordanian army announced Monday that it conducted the strikes against sites belonging to groups it linked to Friday's deadly attack on mourners at a church in Hamoud village in Jordan's southern Karak province. Nine people were killed in the church attack, according to Jordan's Public Security Directorate.

Syria's government stated the operation took place without prior coordination with Damascus, and its Foreign Ministry subsequently conveyed its formal objections to Jordan. Seven people were killed and three injured in the strikes, Syria's Al-Ekhbariya TV reported early Tuesday, citing Daraa province's health directorate.