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Jordan says Iran-linked groups in Syria wage drug war along border

The Alarabiya English reported, citing Reuters, Jordan said on Monday (May 23) pro-Iranian Syrian army units and militias loyal to Tehran are stepping up their attempts to smuggle hundreds of millions of dollars worth of drugs across the Jordanian border to wealthy Gulf markets.
The army said it was bracing for an escalation in confrontations with armed smugglers trying to drop large amounts of drugs along the rugged border terrain with Syria.
Army spokesperson Colonel Mustafa Haiti told state-owned Al Mama said: “We are facing a war along the borders, a drugs war and led by organisations supported by foreign parties. These Iranian militias are the most dangerous because they target Jordan's national security."

Jordan said four smugglers were killed by the army on Sunday in the latest showdown along the border that has left at least 40 infiltrates dead and hundreds injured since the start of the year, mostly nomads employed by Iran-linked militias who hold sway in southern Syria.
Jordan is both a destination and a main transit route to the oil-rich Gulf countries for the Syrian-made cheap amphetamine known as captagon.
Four killed as Jordanian army thwarts drug smuggling attempt from Syria
War-torn Syria has become the region's main production site for a multi-billion-dollar trade also destined for Europe. Syrian President Bash al-Assad's government denies involvement in drug making and smuggling.
The sharp rise in smuggling attempts has forced Jordan to change army rules of engagement along the border where it has given its military the authority to use overwhelming force.
Jordan's King Abdul said last week he feared that a Russian withdrawal from southern Syria as a result of the Ukraine war would allow Iran-backed militias to fill the void.
Jordan's army kills 27 drug smugglers trying to infiltrate border from Syria
The growing influence of Iranian-backed militias including Lebanon's Hezbollah group in southern Syria in recent years has already alarmed both Jordan and Israel.
Jordanian officials say their concerns about the alarming spike had been raised with Syrian authorities but have not seen any real attempt to clamp-down on the illicit trade.
Brigadier General Ahead Khleifat, the head of border security, told al Glad newspaper: “Our demands were always that forces do their job but we have not felt so far we have a real partner in protecting the borders."
Lebanon seizes nearly nine million Captagon tablets in fake oranges
“The smuggling operations are getting support from elements within the Syrian army and its security agencies and also Hezbollah militias and Iranian militias present in southern Syria.”
Jordan said the amounts confiscated in the last five months exceeded 20 million captagon tablets compared to 14 million for the whole of last year.
Source: alarabiyaenglish
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Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
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Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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