Jordan launches airstrikes in Syria after church attack

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 28 Oct, 18:10 · Archive

Jordan has struck back with airstrikes in southern Syria after a church attack killed nine people.

Jordan launched airstrikes in southern Syria following a shooting at a church in Karak that left nine Christians dead and 28 injured. The country's air force confirmed the raids targeted Islamic State fighters it said were linked to the attack. Strikes were reported across the Daraa and Sweida provinces.

Jordan stated it had targeted hideouts associated with those suspected of involvement in the church shooting. The air force confirmed the raids killed at least 20 Islamic State fighters, though Syria's civil defence agency reported recovering seven bodies from strike sites, with health officials saying the dead included women, children and an elderly man.

King Abdullah II had vowed Jordan would "confront the terrorist act that targeted Karak with the harshest penalties" and strike "with an iron fist against anyone who oversteps against this country". Christians make up roughly 2.1 per cent of Jordan's population, with the Greek Orthodox Church as the largest denomination.

How it is being reported

• Jordan hits back after terror attack on church left nine Christians dead and 28 injuredJordan has struck back, launching air strikes in southern Syria, after a brutal terror attack on a church left nine Christians dead and 28 injured. The country's air force confirmed the raids had killed at least 20 Islamic State fighters linked to last week's fatal shooting of mourners attending a Greek Orthodox funeral in Karak. No specifics were given regarding the identity of the groups targeted or the exact locations hit, with strikes reported across the Daraa and Sweida provinces of Syria. Jordan stated it had targeted hideouts associated with those suspected of involvement in Friday's…GB News · 28 Oct, 17:50
• Victims of Jordan’s air strikes in SyriaJordan’s air strikes in southern Syria killed at least seven people, including three children. Here are their stories.Al Jazeera · 28 Oct, 12:35
• Funeral held for family killed in Jordanian airstrikes in SyriaMourners have buried four members of a family, including three children, killed in Jordanian airstrikes in Syria.Al Jazeera · 27 Oct, 17:03

In this story: Jordan · Syria · Karak · Islamic State · King Abdullah II · Daraa · Sweida

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