King of Jordan Says Losing Citizen for Negligence Is 'Absolutely Unacceptable'

King Abdullah II of Jordan
King Abdullah II of Jordan
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King of Jordan Says Losing Citizen for Negligence Is 'Absolutely Unacceptable'

King Abdullah II of Jordan
King Abdullah II of Jordan

King Abdullah II of Jordan on Monday paid tribute to the lives lost at Al Hussein hospital in Salt due to oxygen outage, stressing that all those proven to have been negligent in the investigation will be held to account.

Chairing a National Policies Council (NPC) meeting, the King said officials and junior or senior employees must be up to the responsibility, or else step aside to enable those who want to serve Jordanians to replace them.

He said it was absolutely unacceptable to lose a citizen as a result of negligence, according to a Royal Court statement.

Official positions do not serve to offer favors and benefits, he affirmed.

The King dismissed claims that negligence or corruption was part of the culture in Jordan, stressing that Jordanians have always been known for honor and dignity, in line with the values of their ancestors who founded the state.

He further expressed understanding of the difficulties facing Jordanians as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this context, Jordan reported 9,417 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, which is its highest one-day tally since the pandemic started, official health data showed on Monday. It also recorded 82 deaths.

A total of 48,638 virus tests were also conducted on Monday.

The statement added that there are currently 79,723 active COVID-19 cases in Jordan. A total of 491 COVID-19 patients were admitted to hospitals on Monday, it added.



Coalition Bases in Northeast Syria on High Alert Amid Fears of Militia Attacks

US Bradley armored vehicles on patrol along the main road connecting Qamishli in the east to Tel Tamr in the west, in Syria’s Hasakah province.
US Bradley armored vehicles on patrol along the main road connecting Qamishli in the east to Tel Tamr in the west, in Syria’s Hasakah province.
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Coalition Bases in Northeast Syria on High Alert Amid Fears of Militia Attacks

US Bradley armored vehicles on patrol along the main road connecting Qamishli in the east to Tel Tamr in the west, in Syria’s Hasakah province.
US Bradley armored vehicles on patrol along the main road connecting Qamishli in the east to Tel Tamr in the west, in Syria’s Hasakah province.

US-led coalition forces in northeastern Syria were placed on high alert Friday following Israel’s military strikes against Iran, amid concerns that Iranian-backed militias in Iraq may retaliate with cross-border attacks.

Military sources reported that coalition bases in al-Hasakah province raised their alert level. Coalition aircraft conducted aerial patrols over the bases and along the Syrian-Iraqi border, anticipating potential attacks from factions aligned with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The precautionary measures come on the heels of Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion,” which targeted senior IRGC figures in Tehran in what Israeli officials described as a preemptive strike. In response, the Iraqi militia Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada warned it could dispatch dozens of suicide bombers to strike US interests if the conflict escalates.

Witnesses in northeastern Syria reported heavy aerial activity over al-Malikiyah and toward the Simelka-Faysh Khabur border crossing with Iraq’s Kurdistan Region early Friday. Troop movements were also observed within coalition bases.

According to local sources, over 100 trucks crossed from Iraq into Syria Thursday night via the al-Waleed border crossing. The convoy reportedly delivered military equipment, vehicles, weapons, fuel, and supplies to coalition bases in Kharab al-Jir, the Rmelan oil field, Kasrak (on the Qamishli-Tel Tamr road), and al-Shaddadi in southern Hasakah.

The heightened readiness follows a recent US decision to reduce its military presence in Syria, including the closure of three coalition facilities in Deir Ezzor province, among them the al-Omar oil field and the Conoco gas plant.

Despite the drawdown, sources say the coalition continues to receive weekly resupply shipments from its bases in Iraqi Kurdistan, maintaining its operations against ISIS cells and sustaining patrols in the region.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) carried out a joint operation with coalition forces targeting a suspected ISIS sleeper cell in the town of al-Mansoura, west of Raqqa. Three suspects were arrested, including two senior figures allegedly involved in bomb-making operations. A full curfew was imposed on the area during the raid.

The SDF confirmed it seized weapons, explosive devices, and documents, and vowed to continue its counterterrorism efforts in partnership with the international coalition.