October 2012 Jordanian–Syrian border clash

October 2012 Jordanian-Syrian border clash
Part of Syrian civil war
Date October 22, 2012 Location Jordanian-Syrian border Result Jordanian victory All militants arrested or repelled
Belligerents
Jordanian Army	Islamic militants
Strength
Jordanian border patrols units	13-16 militants
Casualties and losses
1 killed	1 wounded, all arrested (Jordanian official) 4 killed (unnamed Jordanian source)

The October 2012 Jordanian–Syrian border clash was an attack by armed men, claimed to be Islamic extremists, to infiltrate Jordan from Syria during the Syrian civil war. According to sources, the clash resulted in one Jordanian soldier killed, the first Jordanian military personnel to be killed during the Syrian civil war. The number of killed militants was between either none or 4.

Samih Maayta, the Jordanian minister for media and communication, said that eight militants attacked a military position “with heavy arms” at 10:30 pm on October 22, 2012. The Associated Press reported that the militants, whose nationalities were not mentioned, were trying to enter Syria to join the rebel forces fighting against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Later, Jordanian Minister said in an interview that an additional five men suspected of ties to Al-Qaeda tried to penetrate the border and clashed with soldiers. One militant was severely injured, but there were no Jordanian casualties. All 13 involved in both episodes were arrested.

According to DPA, the militant group consisted of 16 armed militants, and infiltrated Jordan from Syria, rather than the other way around. The number of militants killed was put at 4 and the rest retreated into Syrian territory.

See also

• Foreign involvement in the Syrian civil war
• Jordan–Syria relations