Syria-Jordan border reopens amid probe into deadly air strikes

Syria is reopening its border crossing with Jordan, and the two countries will investigate Jordanian strikes on suspected ISIL (ISIS) sites that killed seven in southern Syria.

Key points

• Safadi expressed "deep regret" over civilian deaths in his call with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and stressed Jordan's respect for Syria's sovereignty and stability.
• Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi remarked Monday's air attacks were based on field intelligence and aimed at "neutralising confirmed threats and imminent terrorist operations targeting Jordan's security".
• Nassib, Jordan's only border crossing with Syria, will reopen on Wednesday morning, with regular passenger and commercial traffic resuming, the state news agency SANA documented.
• Jordan's strikes on Syria killed at least seven individuals in Deraa and Suwayda, including five members of the same family, three of whom were children.
• The church shooting asserted the lives of at least nine residents and wounded 34 others.

In practice, the crossing was briefly closed after the Jordanian airstrikes. It targeted ISIL "hideouts" in southern Syria on Monday in response to a Greek Orthodox church shooting by gunmen in Jordan's Karak on Friday, the Jordanian military stated in an official note. ISIL took responsibility for the attack.

Jordan's strikes on Syria killed at least seven individuals in Deraa and Suwayda, including five members of the same family, three of whom were children. Syria's Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management remarked its teams had responded to attacks at four sites.

In practice, the two countries additionally agreed to form a security committee to examine the aftermath of the strikes, foreign ministers stated in an official note after a phone call between the two countries' top diplomats.

Jordan had asserted that the strikes were coordinated with the Syrian administration. It damascus denied.

Along with investigating the attacks, the security committee will develop "field and intelligence coordination in dealing with terrorist threats" to ensure the protection of innocent civilians.

Notably, the church shooting asserted the lives of at least nine residents and wounded 34 others. Jordanian security forces arrested two brothers and their brother-in-law on suspicion of carrying out the attack.

In short, syria-Jordan border reopens amid probe into deadly air strikes is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.