Jordan and Syria to combat arms and drugs smuggling, Islamic State's resurgence

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi speaks during a press conference with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani in Amman, Jordan January 7, 2025. REUTERS/Alaa Al Sukhni

AMMAN (Reuters) -Jordan and Syria have agreed to form a joint security committee to secure their border, combat arms and drug smuggling and work to prevent the resurgence of Islamic State militants, the Jordanian foreign minister said on Tuesday.

Western anti-narcotics officials say the addictive, amphetamine-type stimulant known as captagon has for years been mass-produced in Syria and that Jordan is a transit route to the oil-producing Gulf states.