Syria and Jordan Reopen Border Crossing and Launch Joint Probe Into Deadly Air Strikes

Syria is reopening its border crossing with Jordan, and the two neighboring countries have agreed to jointly examine Jordanian air strikes on suspected ISIL (ISIS) sites that killed at least seven people in southern Syria, according to reports on Wednesday.

The Nassib crossing, Jordan's only border point with Syria, is due to reopen on Wednesday morning, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported. Regular passenger and commercial traffic will resume. The crossing had been shut briefly after the strikes.

Jordan's military said the strikes took place on Monday and targeted ISIL "hideouts" in southern Syria. It described them as a response to a shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, Jordan, on Friday. ISIL claimed responsibility for that attack.

The church shooting killed at least nine people and wounded 34 others. Jordanian security forces have arrested two brothers and their brother-in-law on suspicion of carrying it out.

The Jordanian strikes killed at least seven people in the Syrian provinces of Deraa and Suwayda. Five of the dead belonged to the same family, and three of them were children. Syria's Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management said its teams responded to attacks at four sites.

Following a phone call between the two countries' top diplomats, the foreign ministers said in a joint statement that a security committee would be formed to examine the aftermath of the strikes. The committee will also work to develop "field and intelligence coordination in dealing with terrorist threats", with the aim of protecting innocent civilians.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said the strikes were based on field intelligence and were meant to neutralize "confirmed threats and imminent terrorist operations targeting Jordan's security". During the call with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shaibani, Safadi expressed "deep regret" over the civilian deaths and stressed that Jordan respects Syria's sovereignty and stability.

A dispute remains over how the operation was carried out. Jordan had claimed that the strikes were coordinated with the Syrian government, a claim that Damascus denied.