The Jordanian army announced the death of a drug smuggler during an operation to thwart an attempt to infiltrate and smuggle quantities of narcotic substances coming from Syrian territory, which resulted in the death of a smuggler and the escape of others into the Syrian depth.

An official military source in the Jordanian Army Command said in a statement on Monday that the Border Guard forces, in coordination with the military security services and the Anti-Narcotics Department, detected through forward observations yesterday evening (Sunday) an attempt by a group of smugglers to cross the border illegally from Syrian territory to Jordanian territory, adding that rapid reaction patrols were launched and rules of engagement and direct shooting were applied to them.

The source indicated that after intensifying the search and inspection operations of the area, 133,000 Captagon pills, a Kalashnikov firearm and quantities of ammunition were found, and the seized items were transferred to the competent authorities.

The source stressed that the Jordanian Armed Forces continue to deal with attempts to infiltrate and smuggle with full force and firmness, and with any threat on the border fronts, and any endeavors intended to undermine the security of the homeland and terrorize its citizens and destabilize its security and stability.

The Jordanian army has been waging a war against drug dealers, smuggling operations and infiltration from Syrian territory since 2011, at the time of the outbreak of the Syrian crisis.