Crown Prince briefed on border security situation

AMMAN — HRH Crown Prince Hussein, the Regent, on Monday visited the headquarters of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), where he was briefed on the security situation, especially on the northern border, a Royal Court statement said.

Prince Hussein was received by Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Gen. Mashal Al Zaben and commanders of key army units. He met with Zaben, who briefed him on several army-related issues. The Prince was also briefed on the security conditions at the northern and the eastern borders, the statement said.

JAF has announced that it would respond with proportionate force to infiltration and smuggling attempts, especially on the northern border with Syria.  Over the past few weeks, Border Guards used fire to stop armed smugglers from entering the Kingdom illegally, killing a few and destroying at least two trucks. 

In a related development, Jordan renewed its rejection of Syrian accusation that it supports terrorism that targets the northern neighbour.  

In a statement that was carried on Monday by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani said Jordan has been suffering since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, as a result of the influx of Syrian refugees and infiltration attempts along the country’s border lines with Syria, and because of the rise of terror gangs that threaten the security of the region.

Also, Jordan has been calling for a peaceful political solution since the first day of the crisis, he added.

“Instead of levelling accusations at Jordan, it would have been better for some regime figures to have started looking for ways to revive hope among the Syrian people to end the cycle of violence and achieve their aspirations for the future,” Momani said.