Jordan Thwarts Drug Smuggling Bid Coming from Syria

Two members of the Jordanian Armed Forces during an operation to monitor smuggling networks across the border with Syria (Archive - AFP)
Two members of the Jordanian Armed Forces during an operation to monitor smuggling networks across the border with Syria (Archive - AFP)
TT

Jordan Thwarts Drug Smuggling Bid Coming from Syria

Two members of the Jordanian Armed Forces during an operation to monitor smuggling networks across the border with Syria (Archive - AFP)
Two members of the Jordanian Armed Forces during an operation to monitor smuggling networks across the border with Syria (Archive - AFP)

The Jordanian Armed Forces foiled on Saturday an attempt to smuggle large quantities of drugs into Jordanian territory coming from Syria, said a military statement, which Asharq Al-Awsat obtained a copy of.

An official military source in the General Command said that Jordan’s border guards, in coordination with the security services, detected, without saying when, an armed group of smugglers illegally crossing the borders from Syrian territory into Jordan.

Quick response patrols were immediately mobilized, opening fire at the smugglers. One of them was injured while the rest of the gang fled back to Syria.

The source said that 564 hashish packages and 20 thousand Captagon pills, a Kalashnikov, and some quantities of ammunition were found during the search.

Jordan’s military forces said their efforts will continue to confront any threat along the country's border and to safeguard the country's security.



Air France Extends Beirut Flight Suspension Until Sunday

This combination of pictures created on August 03, 2024 shows a Transavia Boeing 737-800 parked on the tarmac at Paris Orly airport on June 26, 2020 and Air France planes parked during an Air France pilots strike on the tarmac of Charles de Gaulle airport in Roissy on September 24, 2014. (Photo by ERIC PIERMONT and STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)
This combination of pictures created on August 03, 2024 shows a Transavia Boeing 737-800 parked on the tarmac at Paris Orly airport on June 26, 2020 and Air France planes parked during an Air France pilots strike on the tarmac of Charles de Gaulle airport in Roissy on September 24, 2014. (Photo by ERIC PIERMONT and STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)
TT

Air France Extends Beirut Flight Suspension Until Sunday

This combination of pictures created on August 03, 2024 shows a Transavia Boeing 737-800 parked on the tarmac at Paris Orly airport on June 26, 2020 and Air France planes parked during an Air France pilots strike on the tarmac of Charles de Gaulle airport in Roissy on September 24, 2014. (Photo by ERIC PIERMONT and STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)
This combination of pictures created on August 03, 2024 shows a Transavia Boeing 737-800 parked on the tarmac at Paris Orly airport on June 26, 2020 and Air France planes parked during an Air France pilots strike on the tarmac of Charles de Gaulle airport in Roissy on September 24, 2014. (Photo by ERIC PIERMONT and STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)

Air France has extended the suspension of flights between Paris and Beirut until at least Sunday "due to the security situation" in Lebanon.

Air France and its low-cost subsidiary, Transavia, have halted flights to the Lebanese capital since July 29 after Israel vowed to retaliate following rocket fire from Lebanon that killed 12 people in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.

Transavia has also extended the flight suspension until Sunday.

"The resumption of operations will be subject to a further assessment of the local situation," Air France said in a notice on its website posted late Wednesday, AFP reported.

"Air France reiterates that the safety of its customers and crews is its top priority," it said.

Other airlines have also stopped flights to Beirut.

Tensions have soared further in the past week as Iran and its allies vowed revenge for the high-profile killings of Hezbollah's top military commander Fuad Shukr in Lebanon and Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, both blamed on Israel.

Hezbollah has been exchanging near-daily fire with Israeli forces across the border between Lebanon and Israel.