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​The Syrian-Jordanian border has been under constant tension for decades, and it has become a threat to Jordan's national security in terms of arms and drug smuggling, chaos and terrorism, 

This constant tension led to the death of Capt. Muhammad al-Khudayrat, a Jordanian army officer, and three others were injured after confronting a group of smugglers who tried to smuggle a large quantity of narcotics and opened fire at the northern border of Jordan with Syria, and prior to that, the incident of the Rukban refugee camp, were six soldiers killed and 14 wounded when an explosives-laden truck was detonated at an army post near the Syrian refugee camp al-Rukban.

There are apparently conflicting forces and militias on the Jordanian border, which may be affiliated to Syria's accomplices and planners, because the volume of their trade exceeds 4 billion, according to experts estimates, which brings us to the fact that various explosions at Jordanian and Syrian borders show that there is an imminent threat to Jordan's security.

The history of the Syrian-Jordanian relationship is "accusatory" and always in doubt, and despite all this, Jordan's policy remained consistent with Syria, as it did not change its efforts to maintain its territorial integrity and stability, especially its internal situation. 

Jordan is currently engaged in a campaign to reduce "the sanctions of the Caesar Act" and restore Syria to the Arab League and open borders, and in return, there is a reduction in the flow of water from Syria to Jordan by cutting water from the Yarmouk River by building dams and basins of water on that river. Damascus is aware of the need for water in Jordan, in addition to receiving 1 million and 300,000 Syrian refugees. 

What happens at the borders is like a war against Jordan that calls for recourse to the Security Council and the use of international laws and courts in this regard, given that the situation is not significantly different from the Ethiopian Renaissance dam.

There are countries that have almost launched a war against one another, as happened recently between France and Britain and the water boundary dispute between them, in particular fishing, despite the fact that they are NATO members. They consider transgressions or encroachments on borders as a violation of their national security and the protection of the rights of their citizens.

The Jordanian state and the relevant authorities should not remain silent and ask for clarification and official enquiries from Syria about what is happening at their borders. Noting that hostile practices fall under Syria's responsibility and that Syria must control its borders, and if the situation continues as it is, the Jordanian borders must be declared a "closed and prohibited military zone" until the border control process is completed, which requires coordination between the two countries.

It is understandable that there is no total security at the borders of the entire world and that Jordan is no exception, but at the same time, Jordan has no security gaps, their borders are well equipped with various electronic sensors and border guard professionals, and has the ability to deter detection by air and land in cooperation with partners and allies in the region.

Jordan must cooperate with its partners and allies in the region by changing the rules of engagement, and this is a necessary measure to deter and prevent threats. In addition, the introduction of future measures for closed military zones if necessary, given that what is happening at the Jordanian borders can be described as a state of self-defence, as the targets they are dealing with are legitimate targets to use military force against them.​

​See the article by Arab News and the interview by Radio Albalad, a Jordanian radio station that contacted our defence and security adviser, Mr. Mamoun Naji about this topic.

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​​Radio Albalad

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​​​https://soundcloud.com/user-802211363/irgisa4b29lj​

Arab News newspaper article

https://www.arabnews.com/sites/default/files/pdf/47042/index.html?17

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Hamzeh Abu Nowar is a senior research analyst for HMSC. Covering the MENA region. He has conducted research on political violence, extremism and international conflict in the MENA region.

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MENA Research Senior Analyst ​​​

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Jordan - Syria border tension: 

Drugs, weapons and smugglers

​by Hamzeh Abu Nowar​