Jordan says Syria airstrike victims were militant's brother's family, 20 Daesh killed

A well-informed Jordanian source said the seven civilians killed in Jordanian airstrikes on areas in Daraa and Sweida in southern Syria were members of a militant's family. The source explained that the victims in Daraa were the mother and sons of the militant's brother, who were inside a tent near his hiding place, stressing that the tent was not the intended target of the strike.

Meanwhile, the Jordanian government announced that 20 Daesh members were killed in the raids and expressed regret over civilian casualties. The government said the action was taken after Jordan's patience with terrorist groups had run out.

The Jordanian source added that some parties are trying to sow discord between Jordan and Syria. In the same context, Syrian Minister of Culture Mohammad Yassin Saleh emphasized the importance of maintaining brotherly relations between the two countries. In a post on X, he wrote: "The wisdom of the leaderships in both brotherly countries will not allow anyone to undermine Syrian-Jordanian brotherhood, God willing. This is far from the dreams of suspicious parties."

The airstrikes came days after an armed attack targeted the Greek Orthodox Church in the village of Hamoud in Karak province, southern Jordan, killing nine people and injuring dozens. Three gunmen opened fire randomly outside and inside the church, where about 200 people had gathered for a funeral, before fleeing the scene.

Jordanian forces announced on Monday that they had arrested the three gunmen after pursuing them. The strikes on rural areas of Daraa and Sweida killed seven civilians, including three children, a woman, and three men.