Jordanian forces seized a drone that was trying to smuggle illegal drugs into the country, a military source revealed on Monday.
The Jordanian Southern Command shot down the unmanned aerial vehicle, according to the official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
“The Jordanian Armed Forces are fully committed and utilizing all resources to prevent infiltration and smuggling efforts, ensuring the security and stability of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,” the official added.
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Following the incident, the army released a statement clarifying that its forces followed all relevant military protocols, waiting until the drone had crossed into Jordanian territory to engage.
Neither the official nor the army statement elaborated on the specific narcotics the vehicle was transporting.
Prior to Monday’s incident, the Jordanian military had already thwarted two previous attempts to smuggle drugs across the country’s southern and western borders in August alone.
Jordan is bordered by allies Saudi Arabia and Israel to the south and west, respectively. The kingdom’s border security forces have been largely focused on the country’s north, where there has been a surge in illegal arms smuggling by Iran-backed groups based in Iraq and Syria since the war in Gaza erupted in October of last year.