Roundup: Jordan declares borders with Syria closed military zones

Jordan on Tuesday declared its north and northeastern borders closed military zones after an attack killed six Jordanian troops.

Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff of the Jordanian army Meshal Zaben said any movements of vehicles or individuals in the mentioned areas without prior condition will be fealty with as enemy targets with no exception, according to a statement by the army.

King Abdullah II of Jordan on Tuesday vowed a response after the terrorist attack that killed six Jordanians troops and injured 14 others at the borders with Syria, the state-run Petra news agency reported.

"Jordan will strike with an iron fist all those who try to harm its security and borders," the king, also the supreme commander of the Jordan Armed Forces, said at a meeting at the army headquarters Tuesday.

The king expressed pride in the soldiers that defend the country's borders from terrorists, commending the unity and solidarity among Jordanians.

"These terrorist attacks will only make us more determined to face terrorism and fight its gangs," said the King.

The Jordan Armed Forces on Tuesday said six Jordanian officers were killed and 14 others were injured in the terrorist attack at dawn on Tuesday at the borders with Syria.

Those killed include four border guard members, a civil defense member and a member of the public security department.

Of the total 14 injured, nine are members of the public security department, it said in a statement.

They were killed when a suicide bomber drove a booby trapped car and managed to evade shotguns by the troops and exploded himself at a forward military post in at the no man's land area between Jordan and Syria, the Jordan Armed Forces said.

An explosion occurred near the Syrian refugees camp at the no man's land between Jordan and Syria at 5:30AM Amman time, killing and injuring the officer.

The military post that was attacked was dedicated for serving the Syrian refugees at the no man's land who were seeking safe refuge in Jordan.

The Jordanian army engaged with many enemy vehicles and destroyed them at the same time.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Nasser Judeh condemned the terrorist attack.

"Terrorists strike again against our border guard," the minister said in a tweet Tuesday.

"A number of fallen and injured Jordanian heroes. This evil will be defeated," said Judeh on his official Twitter account.

More than 50,000 Syrian refugees are stranded at the no man's land as Jordan discovered a large number of them were members of the Islamic State and the majority of them came from areas under the control of the terrorist movement in Syria. Endit