Coalition, Jordan coordinate to curb smuggling in south Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – On Tuesday, the Free Syrian Army (formerly Maghawir al-Thawra) at the al-Tanf base in southern Homs Governorate, which borders Iraq and Jordan, stated that they, in collaboration with the U.S.-led Coalition, are coordinating with Jordan to combat drug smuggling along the border.
Syrian opposition-affiliated Syria TV cited Colonel Fareed al-Qasim, the commander of the Free Syrian Army, as saying that there is coordination with Jordan to combat drug trafficking along the Syrian-Jordanian border.
The military commander added that they also have limited coordination with the Sheikh al-Karama Forces, an armed group from the predominantly Druze region of Suwayda, concerning the same issue of combating drug smuggling.
This coordination is in its early stages, with the hope of further development to effectively reduce drug trafficking, said the commander.
However, the media center of the Sheikh al-Karama Forces in Suwayda told Syria TV that coordination in combating drugs in southern Syria will only be with local groups within Suwayda.
On Jan. 19, the Sheikh al-Karama Forces called on Jordan in a statement to provide them with lists of names of individuals present in Suwayda suspected of being involved in drug smuggling in order to pursue them. This came after over 10 people were killed in airstrikes, believed to have been carried out by Jordan, on southeastern Suwayda.
On Jan. 18, warplanes targeted positions in the countryside of Daraa and Suwayda Governorates, resulting in casualties among the local population. Unofficial Jordanian sources claim that the targets were individuals involved in drug smuggling.
The media center added that the Jordanian government has not yet responded to the proposal they presented to assist in combating drug smuggling in southern Syria.