Army clashes anew with infiltrators from Syria

AMMAN —  An army official said border guards on Friday exchanged fire with drivers of four trucks that tried to illegally enter from Syria, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

The exchange of fire took place after the drivers ignored the guards’ warnings and orders to stop, the source said, adding that all vehicles were destroyed and drawn to safe points. 

No information on whether anyone was killed or wounded in the incident was disclosed.

Such clashes have become common on the 370km-long Syria border.  

The official reiterated that the Jordan Armed Forces will deal with firmness and will take various measures to preserve the security and the safety of the country, its borders and citizens. 

Jordan is hosting more than 600,000 Syrian refugees who joined about 700,000 who were already residing in Jordan, before the 2011 crisis erupted, according to official estimates.

The Syrian crisis has seen more than 160,000 deaths and uprooted some 6.5 million people from their homes, including 2.7 million who fled the country.

Jordan’s total population has gone up by 10 per cent due to hosting Syrians.