Jordanian air strikes in southern Syria target alleged Iran-linked drug smugglers

By Reuters and ToI Staff 5 January 2024, 1:25 am

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Jordan launched several aerial raids inside Syria Thursday against suspected warehouses and hideouts of Iranian-backed drug smugglers, local and regional intelligence sources say.

The strikes took place in southern Syria, near the Jordanian border.

The army has stepped up a campaign against drug dealers after protracted clashes last month with dozens of infiltrators from Syria linked to pro-Iranian militias, carrying large hauls who crossed its border with weapons and explosives.

Data published by Jordan’s official mouthpiece Petra on Thursday, showed a more than three-fold increase in drug-related crimes from 2013 to 2022, “prompting an escalation in confronting drug dealers.”