Jordan, Syria agree to form joint security committee to review recent airstrikes

• The ministers discussed Jordanian military strikes on Monday targeting positions belonging to Daesh.
• Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi expressed regret over the deaths of civilians during the operations and offered condolences to the Syrian people.

Jordan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, held a phone call on Tuesday with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, during which the two agreed to form a joint security committee to review Jordan's recent airstrikes on Syria.

In the call, the ministers underscored the deep historical bonds between their countries and their brotherly peoples, as well as a shared determination to strengthen and expand ties across a range of fields. They stressed the need to resolve any issues that might strain bilateral relations through frank and responsible dialogue, grounded in their firm conviction that the security and destinies of the two nations are intertwined.

Safadi reaffirmed Jordan's full respect for Syria's sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and stability, as well as the safety of its citizens. He said Amman regards Syria's security and stability as an integral part of its own, and praised the unprecedented levels of cooperation, coordination and trust that have defined relations between the two countries.

The ministers discussed the repercussions of the airstrikes carried out by the Jordanian Armed Forces in Syria on Monday. Safadi said the strikes were based on field intelligence and were intended to neutralize confirmed threats and imminent terrorist operations targeting Jordan's security.

He voiced deep regret and sorrow over the deaths of innocent civilians during the operations against Daesh, which he described as a common threat to both countries. He offered his heartfelt condolences to the Syrian people and wished a swift recovery to those wounded. Safadi emphasized that Jordan is as committed to protecting the safety of Syrian citizens as it is to safeguarding its own.

Both ministers stressed that Jordanian-Syrian relations are defined by close cooperation in confronting shared challenges, most notably combating terrorism and preventing arms and drug smuggling across their common border, through effective and sustainable institutional channels.

Recognizing the importance of direct field and security coordination in their joint efforts to fight terrorism, protect civilians and uphold the highest standards of accuracy and transparency, the ministers agreed to establish the joint security committee. The committee will examine all details and facts surrounding the recent operations, monitor their consequences, and improve the mechanisms for field and intelligence coordination in addressing terrorist threats.

The two sides said these efforts would aim to preserve Syria's sovereignty, protect innocent civilian lives, and reflect the strength of the ties between the two countries and their peoples.

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