Jordan (Washington Insider) - Jordan faces northern border threats from smuggling and instability in southern Syria, especially Sweida. Experts Abu Zeid, Muath Abu Dalou, Sheikat, and al-Daja stress strong border control, a unified Syria, and international cooperation.
As Huaxia on English News reported, Jordan continues to face security challenges along its northern border, even though authorities have strengthened control in recent years. Nidal Abu Zeid, a Jordanian military and strategic analyst, told Xinhua that smuggling networks have adapted to these changes.
"The geographic nature of the border between Jordan, Syria, and Iraq, which extends across rugged and sparsely populated terrain, makes full control a continuous challenge,"
Abu Zeid said.
What threats does Jordan face on its northern border amid Syria’s transition?
Officials mentioned that they now use smaller, isolated, and uncoordinated operations. These attempts are harder to predict but still pose a threat to border communities. Abu Zeid said that even though the smuggling is less organised than before.
"The continued activity of smugglers and armed groups requires Jordan to maintain a high level of vigilance,"
Abu Zeid said.
Jordan’s security is closely linked to developments in southern Syria, analysts say. Public law professor and political analyst Muath Abu Dalou told Xinhua that Jordan is watching events across the border carefully. The 2 countries share around 375 kilometres of frontier, and any instability in Syria could affect Jordan directly.
Jordanian security experts have warned that instability in southern Syria could continue to affect the kingdom’s northern border. Areas such as Sweida remain a concern for officials. Khaled Shneikat, head of the Jordanian Association for Political Science, said that
"Jordan's fundamental interest lies in a unified Syria."
"A single central authority enables effective security cooperation and limits reliance on informal armed groups,"
Sheikat told Xinhua.
Professor Hassan al-Daja of Al-Hussein Bin Talal University asserts that the future stability of southern Syria is dependent upon the establishment of a unified Syrian state. The establishment of a viable Syrian government that can regulate its own borders will aid in decreasing the criminal networks and threats that arise across international borders.
Furthermore, Nidal Abu Zeid cited the importance of regional cooperatives and international collaboration as well. Military analysts from the region have alluded to Jordan's commitment to establishing diplomatic relations with Syria and the cooperation that exists between the 5 countries, along with establishing political, economic, and security mechanisms to sustain peace in the region and promote reconciliation among the countries in the Amman Quintet.
In addition, Political analyst Sheikat commented that Jordan is not able to continue establishing its foreign policy entirely through bilateral engagement with Damascus. He emphasised the critical need for continuing the dialogue between the newly appointed government in Syria, lifting sanctions on the Syrian economy, and improving Syria's position within the region and globally through establishing cooperative agreements with other nations in the region and beyond.
Sheikat said,
"Syria's ability to fulfil its security responsibilities, which directly supports Jordan's stability and that of the wider region."
Al-Daja said,
"Regional and international partnerships are essential."
Syria entered a political transition in December 2024, after the collapse of the former government. Over the past year, some public institutions have reopened, basic services have returned to major cities, and Syria has engaged diplomatically with regional and international actors. Still, many areas face serious reconstruction challenges, especially in regions damaged during the conflict.