Jordanian–Syrian border incidents during the Syrian civil war

{{Infobox military conflict

| conflict = Jordanian–Syrian border incidents during the Syrian Civil War

| partof = Spillover of the Syrian Civil War

| image = Dead Sea-Jordan.JPG

| caption = Jordanian border patrol outpost

| date = 10 August 2012 – 31 July 2018
({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|year1=2012|month1=08|day1=10|year2=2017|month2=08|day2=22}})

| place = Jordanian-Syrian border

| result = Concluded

Jordanian government victory
Syrian government retakes majority of Syria-Jordan border.
Free Syrian Army retains al-Tanf and Rukban areas
All infiltration attempts into Jordan foiled.

| combatant1 = {{flag|Jordan}}

{{flagicon|Syrian opposition}} Free Syrian Army

Supported by:
{{flag|USA}}

----

{{flagicon image|Flag of Ahrar ash-Sham.svg}} Ahrar al-Sham

{{flagicon image|}} Tahrir al-Sham

| combatant2 = {{flag|Islamic State}}

Khalid ibn al-Walid Army

| combatant3 = {{flagicon|Syria|1980|size=22px}} Syria
File:InfoboxHez.PNG Hezbollah

Supported by:
{{flag|Iran}}
{{flag|Russia}}

| strength1 =

| strength2 =

| strength3 =

| casualties1 = ≈100 killed, hundreds arrested

| casualties2 =

| casualties3 =

}}

Violent incidents took place on the arid {{convert|379|km|0|abbr=on}} Jordan–Syria border over the course of the Syrian Civil War.

The Raytheon defence company has provided the Jordanian Armed Forces with a high-tech security system (not a wall) stretching across the wide borders between the two countries.{{cite web|url=http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Jordan_awards_Raytheon_186_million_to_expand_border_security_999.html|title=Jordan awards Raytheon $18.6 million to expand border security|work=spacewar.com}} The security system has enabled the Jordanian border patrol units to discover and deal with several border infiltrations.{{cite web|url=http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/border-guards-kill-infiltrator-syrian-border|title=Border guards kill infiltrator on Syrian border|work=Jordan Times|date=19 August 2014}} The system detects the movement of militias before reaching Jordanian territory and the army issues warnings to the infiltrators and when the warnings go ignored, they are exterminated, according to established rules of engagement.

Jordan says that drug smuggling attempts have increased three-fold since the start of the Syrian civil war. All infiltration attempts have been foiled.{{cite web|url=http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/border-guards-kill-infiltrator-syria-border|title=Border guards kill infiltrator on Syria border|work=Jordan Times|date=17 February 2014}}

Overview

Overview as of 17 March 2017.

class="wikitable centre sortable"

!2015

!2016

!2017

!Total

style="text-align:left;" | Number of infiltrations

! 85

! 79

! 24

! 188

style="text-align:left;" | Number of people involved

! 132

! 151

! 65

!348

Timeline

=2012=

In October 2012, Islamic militants attempted to infiltrate Jordan from Syria during the Syrian civil war. One militant was severely injured and 4 were killed, the clash resulted in the death of one Jordanian soldier, the first Jordanian military personnel to be killed during the Syrian civil war.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/23/world/middleeast/jordanian-soldier-killed-in-syrian-border-clash.html|title=Jordanian Soldier Killed in Syrian Border Clash|date=23 October 2012|work=The New York Times}} 13 IS members involved were arrested while the rest retreated back to Syrian territory.{{cite web|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/jordanian-soldier-killed-in-clash-with-militants-on-syria-border-1.471470|title=Jordanian soldier killed in clash with militants on Syria border|date=22 October 2012|work=Haaretz.com|access-date=30 October 2014}}

=2014=

{{operational plan

| name = April 2014 Jordanian–Syrian border airstrike

| partof = Syrian civil war

| image = Jordan Syria Locator.png

| image_size = 300

| caption = Jordan and Syria

| scope =

| planned =

| planned_by =

| objective = Destroy a convoy attempting to penetrate Jordan

| executed = {{Start date|2014|04|16|df=y}}

| executed_by = Royal Jordanian Air Force

| outcome = Destruction of the convoy

| casualties = Unknown

}}

On 16 April 2014, the Jordanian Air Force bombed a convoy of vehicles on the Syrian-Jordanian border.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/feedarticle/11297979|title=Jordanian jets strike vehicles on Syrian border|work=The Guardian|date=16 April 2014}} Reportedly, the airstrike took place when the convoy attempted to penetrate the Jordanian border from Syria.

Though Syrian involvement was proposed, a Syrian military official said the vehicles did not belong to the Syrian army. A Jordanian security source said the targets appeared to have been Syrian rebels with machine guns mounted on civilian vehicles who were seeking refuge from fighting with government forces in southern Syria.{{cite web|url=http://www.arabnews.com/news/556801|title=Vehicles hit in Jordan air raid not Syria Army's|publisher=Arab News|date=17 April 2014}}

=2016=

On 23 January, a total of 36 armed men tried to infiltrate the border and an engagement with Jordanian border patrol left 12 dead infiltrators while the rest retreated back into Syria. They were found to have 2 million drug pills. The spokesperson also stated that "Jordan will not tolerate any infiltration attempt and will strike with an iron fist to whoever tries to disrupt Jordanian national security".{{cite web|url=http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/army-kills-12-infiltrators-syria-border|title=Army kills 12 infiltrators on Syria border|work=Jordan Times|date=23 January 2016}}

On 25 January, two armed men tried to infiltrate the borders and were exterminated. They were found to have 2600 palm-sized bags of marijuana and 2.4 million Captagon pills.{{cite web|url=http://khaberni.com/more-163222-1-%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%B3%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%AF%20%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84%20%D9%85%D9%87%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%92%D9%86|title=خبرني : نبض الشارع : حرس الحدود يقتل مهربيْن|publisher=Khaberni|access-date=25 January 2016}}

On 7 February, two men exploited the foggy weather conditions and tried to infiltrate. They were exterminated, according to rules of engagement, according to the Jordan Armed Forces spokesperson. The spokesperson warned that anyone trying to infiltrate will face the same fate.{{Cite web|url=http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/two-killed-drugs-seized-border-infiltration-attempt|title = Two killed, drugs seized in border infiltration attempt|date = 7 February 2016}}

On 24 February, two vehicles exploited the foggy weather and attempted to infiltrate, an engagement with the border patrols left 1 dead and 6 injured which were taken into custody.{{Cite web|url=http://www.khaberni.com/more-161011-1-%25D8%25A7%25D9%2584%25D8%25AC%25D9%258A%25D8%25B4%2520%25D9%258A%25D9%2582%25D8%25AA%25D9%2584%2520%25D9%2585%25D8%25AA%25D8%25B3%25D9%2584%25D9%2584%25D8%25A7%25D9%258B%2520%25D9%2588%25D9%258A%25D8%25B5%25D9%258A%25D8%25A8%25206|title=خبرني|website=www.khaberni.com|access-date=2016-09-15}}

On the dawn of 21 June, a booby-trapped car exploded near a Jordanian Armed Forces outpost in the extreme north-eastern point of Rukban, a remote makeshift Syrian refugee camp. The attack left 6 dead and 14 injured Jordanian soldiers.{{Cite web|url=http://jordantimes.com/news/local/6-troops-killed-14-injured-car-bomb-attack-syria-border?platform=hootsuite|title=6 troops killed, 14 injured in car bomb attack on Syria border|date=21 June 2016}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-36584885|title = Jordanian troops killed in bomb attack at Syria border|work = BBC News|date = 21 June 2016}} As a result of the incident, the Jordan-Syria border has been declared as a "closed military zone". Jordanian minister of foreign affairs Nasser Judeh said in a press conference "we don't need a hideous terrorist attack like this one to prove to the world the legitimacy of our security concerns".

The country has also stated that it will halt the expansion or construction of refugee camps.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/22/middleeast/jordan-car-bomb-attack/index.html|title=Jordan shuts borders after deadly car bomb|author=Jomana Karadsheh and Tim Hume|website=CNN|date=22 June 2016|access-date=2016-06-23}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-36593579|title=Jordan declares Syria and Iraq borders closed military zones|work=BBC News|date=22 June 2016|access-date=2016-06-23}} Following the incident, delivery of humanitarian aid to the area was stopped due to increased security concerns.{{Cite web|url=https://www.irinnews.org/analysis/2016/10/07/%E2%80%9Cbuffer-zone%E2%80%9D-plan-70000-stranded-syrian-refugees|title=The "buffer zone" plan for 70,000 stranded Syrian refugees|last=Williams|first=Sara Elizabeth|date=7 October 2016|website=Irin News|access-date=11 October 2016}} Only one food delivery was allowed since the attack, however water delivery resumed two weeks following the incident.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/syrians-refuse-attempted-relocation-along-jordan-border/2016/10/01/e747d8bc-87e9-11e6-b57d-dd49277af02f_story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161002132521/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/syrians-refuse-attempted-relocation-along-jordan-border/2016/10/01/e747d8bc-87e9-11e6-b57d-dd49277af02f_story.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 October 2016|title=Syrians refuse attempted relocation along Jordan border|last=McNeil|first=Sam|date=1 October 2016|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=11 October 2016}} As of September 2016, around 75,000 Syrian refugees are stranded in the Rukban area under extremely poor living conditions. Due to the lack of access to medical care and clean water, the spread of diseases has increased and as a result disease-related deaths.{{Cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/09/syria-jordan-border-75000-refugees-trapped-in-desert-no-mans-land-in-dire-conditions/|title=Syria-Jordan border: 75,000 refugees trapped in desert no man's land in dire conditions|date=15 September 2016|website=Amnesty International|access-date=11 October 2016}}

On 8 September 2016, a vehicle that was trying to infiltrate into Jordan was destroyed by the Jordanian border guards while it was still in Syrian territory.{{cite web|url=http://www.khaberni.com/more-171556-1-%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B7%20%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9%20%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%84%D9%84%20%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A8%D8%A9%20%D9%88%D9%85%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84%20%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%82%D9%87%D8%A7|work=Khaberni|title=احباط محاولة تسلل مركبة ومقتل سائقها}}

3 infiltrators were killed as they approached the Jordanian borders from Syria on 27 October 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.hala.jo/2016/10/27/%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%AF-%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84-%D8%B4%D8%AE%D8%B5%D8%A7-%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%84%D9%84-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%85%D9%85%D9%84/|work=Hala Akhbar|date=27 October 2016|title="حرس الحدود" تقتل شخصا حاول التسلل للمملكة مع اثنين اخرين|access-date=27 October 2016|archive-date=19 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019082632/http://www.hala.jo/2016/10/27/%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%AF-%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84-%D8%B4%D8%AE%D8%B5%D8%A7-%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%84%D9%84-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%85%D9%85%D9%84/|url-status=dead}}

=2017=

A car explosion on 22 January 2017 at the Rukban refugee camp caused 11 deaths among Syrian refugees.{{cite web|url=http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/terror-hits-again-rakban-camp-11-killed|title=Terror hits again in Rakban camp, 11 killed|access-date=17 March 2017|date=22 January 2017|work=The Jordan Times}}

Seven individuals attempted to cross the border on 17 March 2017, an engagement with the border guards killed three while the rest retreated back to Syria. They were found to have large amounts of narcotics.{{cite web|url=http://jordantimes.com/news/local/army-foils-smuggling-attempt-syria-kills-three|title=Army foils smuggling attempt from Syria, kills three|date=16 March 2017|access-date=17 March 2017|work=The Jordan Times}}

An infiltration attempt was foiled on 27 March 2017, ended in the death of 3. The army reported that they were trying to smuggle drugs.{{cite web|url=http://jordantimes.com/news/local/border-guards-kill-2-suspected-drug-smugglers|title=Border guards kill 2 suspected drug smugglers|access-date=27 March 2017|date=27 March 2017|work=The Jordan Times}}

Jordanian F-16 fighter jets downed an unidentified drone on 11 May 2017, near the joint borders with Syria.{{cite web|url=http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/jordan-downs-drone-near-syria-border-%E2%80%94-military|title=Jordan downs drone near Syria border — military|work=The Jordan Times|access-date=3 June 2017|date=11 May 2017}}

Three militants on motorbikes attempted to target a Jordanian border outpost in Rukban on 3 June 2017. They were all killed, while a Jordanian soldier suffered an arm injury.{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/gunmen-from-syria-attack-jordan-border-post-killed-in-clash/2017/06/03/4191f0b2-486c-11e7-8de1-cec59a9bf4b1_story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170603165846/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/gunmen-from-syria-attack-jordan-border-post-killed-in-clash/2017/06/03/4191f0b2-486c-11e7-8de1-cec59a9bf4b1_story.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 June 2017|title=3 gunmen from Syria killed in Jordan border attack|access-date=3 June 2017|date=3 June 2017|work=AFP|publisher=The Washington Post}}

9 vehicles were destroyed and 5 infiltrators were killed on 11 June.{{cite web|url=http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/army-kills-5-infiltrators-destroys-vehicles|title=Army kills 5 infiltrators, destroys vehicles|access-date=11 June 2017|date=11 June 2017|work=The Jordan Times}}

Border guards killed 2 infiltrators on 22 August.{{Cite web|url=http://jordantimes.com/news/local/army-foils-2-suspected-drug-smuggling-attempts-syrian-border|title = Army foils 2 suspected drug smuggling attempts at Syrian border|date = 22 August 2017}}

=2018=

Statistics

A report by the Jordanian Armed Forces command claimed that during 2015, border guard patrols foiled 85 infiltration attempts involving 132 people. Infiltrating vehicles that did not meet engagement rules and were not exterminated, were found to have 1,473 pieces of various weapons, 6,659 bullets, 16,768,684 Captagon pills, 893,060 palm-sized sheets of marijuana and 20,000 tramadol pills. The drugs were later destroyed at an anti-narcotics department in Amman.{{cite web|url=http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/border-guards-facilitated-entry-17000-syrian-refugees-last-year%E2%80%99?platform=hootsuite|title=Border Guards facilitated entry of 17,000 Syrian refugees last year|work=Jordan Times}}