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Israel thwarts smuggling attempt across border with Jordan

Xinhua, July 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

Israel thwarted an attempt to smuggle weapons from Jordan into its turf on Tuesday, the Israeli army said.

"Earlier tonight, following intelligence and operational efforts, security forces thwarted a weapons smuggling attempt on the Israel-Jordan border," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday night.

The spokesperson added the forces recovered five M-16 rifles and 20 handguns, and that two suspects were arrested in the affair. No further details were delivered on their identity or that of their dispatchers.

Israel signed a peace treaty with Jordan in 1994. The border between the countries is 309 kilometers long. Jordan shares a 71-km-long border with the West Bank territories.

The Ha'aretz daily reported last week that Israel is planning to build a separation fence along the northern part of its border with Jordan, near the Israeli-held Golan Heights, in order to prevent global jihadists from infiltrating its territory.

Last year, the Israeli government approved the construction of a separate barrier along the southern part of the border near southern Israel's Arava desert. Endit