Syria and Jordan Deepen Defense Coordination as Border Threats Mount

Syrian and Jordanian military leaders have discussed strengthening defense cooperation as both countries confront security challenges along their shared border. The talks come as Syria works with Jordan to improve stability in areas adjoining the kingdom.

The discussions are significant because Jordan sits between Israel, Iraq and Syria and serves as an important regional buffer against weapons trafficking, militant movements and Iranian-backed activity.

Syrian state media reported on September 30 that Defense Minister Maj.-Gen. Murhaf Abu Qasra spoke by telephone with Jordanian Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Maj.-Gen. Majdi al-Harasis.

“The call addressed a number of issues of mutual interest and ways to advance cooperation and coordination between Syria and Jordan in the defense field.”

The conversation follows recent security operations in southern Syria, including the reported dismantling of an ISIS cell south of Damascus and another operation targeting an ISIS-linked group in the Yarmouk Basin near the Golan Heights and the Jordanian border.

Syria and Jordan have increasingly worked together under Syria’s new government, despite the very different relationship that existed during the Syrian civil war.

Jordan supported Syrian rebel forces beginning in 2012 and opposed Bashar Assad’s government. After Syrian government forces eventually defeated rebel groups in the country’s south, however, Amman had to adjust to the new reality on its border.

Yarmouk Basin remains a security concern

The Yarmouk Basin, a hilly region situated between the Golan Heights and Syria, has previously served as a base for ISIS-linked militants. During the Syrian civil war, the area was controlled in part by the Khalid Bin Al-Walid Army, an ISIS affiliate.

Israel previously helped evacuate members of the Syrian White Helmets from southern Syria, allowing them to enter Jordan during the civil war.

The Khalid Bin Al-Walid Army was not a conventional military force but a relatively small militant organization that controlled several villages in the Yarmouk Basin near the Golan Heights. The region is shaped by the Yarmouk River, which runs toward the Jordan Valley.

The river’s watershed extends across Jordan and southern Syria before passing through rugged terrain toward the springs at Hamma, also known as Hamat Gader, along the border.

The ISIS affiliate seized territory from Syrian rebel factions in 2017 before eventually being defeated by forces loyal to the Syrian government. However, militant cells continued to operate in the broader region.

Hezbollah cell raises additional concerns

Recent reports in Turkish media have also focused attention on another security issue in the Yarmouk Basin. According to those reports, Syrian authorities arrested three people allegedly connected to Hezbollah in western Daraa.

The reports said the suspects were accused of attempting to position rocket launchers in the strategically sensitive border area.

Turkish media outlet Yeni Safak reported:

“Syrian authorities dismantled a three-member cell linked to Lebanese group Hezbollah in the southern Daraa province, the Interior Ministry said Tuesday, following surveillance of alleged attempts to deploy rocket launchers in the volatile border region. The General Intelligence Directorate carried out the arrests in coordination with internal security forces in the Yarmouk Basin area of western Daraa, according to an official statement.”

Syrian officials said the “suspects were attempting to install the weapons to carry out attacks aimed at undermining stability in the area. Security personnel fully dismantled the rocket launchers discovered during the raid, though officials did not specify the number of launchers seized or identify the intended targets of the alleged plot.”

The reported operation adds another layer to the security concerns facing Syria, Jordan and Israel in the border region.

Drug trafficking is another focus for Jordan

Security cooperation between Amman and Damascus also extends to efforts to stop drug trafficking, an issue that has persisted since the Assad era.

Jordan has long been concerned about smuggling networks operating through areas around Suwayda. Officials in Amman have also viewed divisions between Druze communities and the Syrian government as a factor that could facilitate trafficking routes.

The continuing instability around Suwayda is therefore regarded in Jordan as a potential security problem. At the same time, the Yarmouk Basin and territory close to the Golan Heights remain areas of concern.

These overlapping challenges help explain the importance of the latest Syria-Jordan military discussions.

The two sides could also be addressing potential threats from armed groups operating in Iraq, as well as security surrounding the Tanf area, where energy supplies and other trade move between Iraq and Syria.

Any attack or disruption along those routes could threaten an important economic connection between the two countries, making the area another potential security concern for Damascus.

Jordan faces a changing regional security environment

The planned departure of US forces from Iraq could create additional security challenges for Jordan, particularly regarding Iranian-backed militias operating in the region. Syria has also opposed the presence and activities of such militias.

Jordan currently hosts US military forces and has an interest in maintaining security cooperation with Washington. At the same time, Jordan has previously been targeted by Iranian missile attacks, adding to the kingdom’s concerns about threats emanating from the wider region.

Against this backdrop, closer coordination between Syria and Jordan could focus on preventing militant activity, weapons transfers, drug trafficking and other forms of cross-border instability.