Jordanian Airstrikes Close Nussib Border Crossing, Raising Tensions with Damascus

- Amman says it targeted sites linked to armed groups behind the Karak attack; Damascus objects to the strikes and confirms they were carried out without prior coordination. Suspension of passenger and trade movement across the border crossing between the two countries.

Jordanian airstrikes on southern Syria tested the level of security coordination and relations between Amman and Damascus, following the closure of the Nussayb border crossing and the suspension of passenger and commercial cargo movements in both directions. This development places border security and the fight against armed groups under renewed political and operational challenges.

The Jordanian military announced that it carried out airstrikes targeting sites it described as dens of armed groups in southern Syria, stating they were linked to the attack on a church in Jordan’s Karak Governorate last Friday, which resulted in casualties. The military clarified that the operation targeted sites and equipment belonging to those groups as part of the response to the attack.

For its part, Syrian authorities stated that the strikes were carried out without prior coordination or notification, and announced an investigation to determine the circumstances, emphasizing the need to enhance field and security coordination in border areas and to respect the country’s sovereignty. Syrian reports cited civilian casualties, including women and children, resulting from airstrikes on sites in the Daraa and Suwayda countryside. Initial reports from the Syrian Civil Defense indicated seven dead and three injured, while other reports cited different figures.

The discrepancy between the two narratives regarding prior coordination stands out as one of the most prominent aspects of the escalation. While Amman presented the operation as a security measure targeting groups linked to an attack within its territory, Damascus stressed that no military operations should take place on Syrian soil without prior coordination.

Following these developments, the Syrian General Authority for Borders and Customs announced on October 27 the closure of the Nussayb border crossing with Jordan and the suspension of passenger and commercial exchange in both directions, citing the field situation in Daraa Governorate and the safety of travelers and workers.

The decision carries economic and logistical significance, as the Nussayb crossing, opposite the Jaber crossing on the Jordanian side, is the main land port for passenger and trade movement between the two countries. Continued closure would disrupt truck and cargo movements until operations resume, with Syrian authorities not specifying a date for reopening. Damascus confirmed that communication with Amman continues to discuss the repercussions of the airstrikes, alongside ongoing investigations into human losses. Both governments face the challenge of addressing Jordan’s security concerns related to cross-border attacks and armed activities, while containing the political and humanitarian fallout of the operation within Syrian territory.

Reopening the crossing and restoring trade and passenger movement remain key indicators of the de-escalation process, alongside reaching clear understandings on information sharing and security coordination along the border, to limit the likelihood of renewed escalation and safeguard the shared interests of both countries.