Syria summons Jordanian ambassador for ‘deadly’ airstrikes in Daraa

Syria summoned Jordan’s ambassador to Damascus on Wednesday and handed him a formal protest note for Jordanian airstrikes that killed civilians, including children, in the southern Daraa province, according to a statement by the ministry’s media department carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

The Foreign Ministry summoned Sufian al-Qudah and delivered the note regarding the strikes on civilian sites.

The move came the day after Syria and Jordan agreed to establish a joint security committee to investigate the airstrikes and strengthen coordination to protect civilians and safeguard Syrian sovereignty.

The agreement followed a call late Tuesday between Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and his Jordanian counterpart, Ayman Safadi.

Safadi expressed deep regret for casualties and offered condolences to the Syrian people.

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He said the strikes targeted ISIS (Daesh) positions based on intelligence about confirmed threats and imminent attacks against Jordan.

Seven people were killed in the strikes on Monday, according to Syrian authorities.

Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani said Tuesday that the strikes killed more than 20 ISIS members and destroyed a major weapons depot.

The Jordanian military said the operation targeted groups linked to Friday’s attack on mourners at a church in Jordan’s southern Karak province, which killed nine people.

Syria condemned the strikes as a violation of its sovereignty, saying they were carried out without coordination with Damascus.