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Jordanian troops killed in bomb attack at Syria border | Jordanian troops killed in bomb attack at Syria border |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Six Jordanian security personnel have been killed in a suicide truck bomb attack near a makeshift refugee camp on the border with Syria, officials say. | |
The attack took place at about 05:30 (02:30 GMT) in the remote Rukban area. | The attack took place at about 05:30 (02:30 GMT) in the remote Rukban area. |
Hours later, Jordan declared its northern and north-eastern borders would become closed military zones. | Hours later, Jordan declared its northern and north-eastern borders would become closed military zones. |
It is not yet clear who carried out the attack, but the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) has threatened in the past to "break down" Jordan's borders. | It is not yet clear who carried out the attack, but the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) has threatened in the past to "break down" Jordan's borders. |
The kingdom is part of the US-led coalition against IS and has carried out air strikes on militants in Syria. | The kingdom is part of the US-led coalition against IS and has carried out air strikes on militants in Syria. |
'Iron fist' | |
Tuesday's attack, the first of its kind since the conflict in Syria began in 2011, saw an explosives-laden truck driven at high speed over the border from Syria and blown up beside a Jordanian military post. | |
The blast left four border guards and two personnel from the Civil Defence and Public Security Department dead, a military statement said. | The blast left four border guards and two personnel from the Civil Defence and Public Security Department dead, a military statement said. |
King Abdullah II said Jordan would "respond with an iron fist" against any group that sought to harm its borders or security. | |
Jordanian military chief Gen Mashaal Mohammed Zaben subsequently issued an order declaring the northern and north-eastern borders as closed military zones, a military source told the official Petra news agency. | |
The source said that any movement of vehicles or individuals in the military zones "without pre-coordination" would be "firmly dealt with as enemy targets". | |
Earlier this month, Jordanian intelligence service officers and two other employees were killed in a Palestinian refugee camp near the capital, Amman, in what the government said was a terrorist attack. | Earlier this month, Jordanian intelligence service officers and two other employees were killed in a Palestinian refugee camp near the capital, Amman, in what the government said was a terrorist attack. |
The Rukban camp is located beside an earthen berm in the desert, about 8km (5 miles) west of the point at which the Iraq, Syria, and Jordan borders meet. | The Rukban camp is located beside an earthen berm in the desert, about 8km (5 miles) west of the point at which the Iraq, Syria, and Jordan borders meet. |
The rocky area is devoid of shade, water or vegetation and is far from any towns. | The rocky area is devoid of shade, water or vegetation and is far from any towns. |
Aid workers say more than 50,000 refugees are stranded at the camp, living in deplorable conditions while awaiting entry to Jordan. | Aid workers say more than 50,000 refugees are stranded at the camp, living in deplorable conditions while awaiting entry to Jordan. |
UN satellite analysts mapped more than 6,400 probable shelters in the area in late April. | UN satellite analysts mapped more than 6,400 probable shelters in the area in late April. |
The Jordanian authorities currently only allow in about 50 to 100 refugees each day, citing security concerns. | The Jordanian authorities currently only allow in about 50 to 100 refugees each day, citing security concerns. |
Many of the refugees are believed to have fled areas controlled by IS in eastern Homs province and neighbouring Raqqa, where forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have made gains in the past year with the support of Russian air strikes. | Many of the refugees are believed to have fled areas controlled by IS in eastern Homs province and neighbouring Raqqa, where forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have made gains in the past year with the support of Russian air strikes. |
Thousands of other refugees are stranded at another tented camp on the border at Hadalat, about 90km west of Rukban, where the UN mapped 1,900 shelters. | Thousands of other refugees are stranded at another tented camp on the border at Hadalat, about 90km west of Rukban, where the UN mapped 1,900 shelters. |
The UN acknowledged in December that Jordan had legitimate security concerns, but called on the country to allow all the refugees at the two camps to enter. | The UN acknowledged in December that Jordan had legitimate security concerns, but called on the country to allow all the refugees at the two camps to enter. |
Jordan is hosting 655,000 of the 4.84 million Syrians registered as refugees with the UN. | Jordan is hosting 655,000 of the 4.84 million Syrians registered as refugees with the UN. |
The government says more than one million other Syrians are living there, including those who arrived before the uprising against Mr Assad began. | The government says more than one million other Syrians are living there, including those who arrived before the uprising against Mr Assad began. |