Jordan says 'terrorists' killed in Syria in retaliatory strike over church attack

What the report says

Jordan carried out airstrikes in southern Syria after a deadly attack last week on a Christian funeral in Jordan, according to BBC World News. Jordan’s military said it targeted what it called terrorist organisations, while Syrian health officials said five people were killed in the strike on a village in Daraa province, including women, children and an elderly man. Jordan said several militants were killed or wounded, but did not provide more detail.

The retaliatory action followed the killing of nine people and the wounding of 34 at a Greek Orthodox church funeral in Karak, which Jordan has treated as a terrorism case. On the same day, Jordanian authorities said they arrested three suspects in connection with that attack, identifying them as two brothers and a brother-in-law. The Interior Minister said they were Jordanian nationals. Jordan also said the air operation was coordinated with the Syrian government, although Syria said it had not been notified in advance.

Syria responded by closing the Nassib border crossing with Jordan, its only passenger and commercial crossing with the country. Syrian authorities said they were suspending traffic in both directions for safety reasons and opening direct communication with Jordanian officials. The exchange underlines the fragile security situation along the border and the wider strain between the two neighbours as both sides investigate the violence.