A Jordanian officer was killed and three border guards were wounded in a clash that took place at dawn on Sunday with drug smugglers at the Jordanian-Syrian border, the Army announced.

An army statement quoted an official source in the General Command of the Jordanian Armed Forces as saying that at 04:00 am, on one of the northeastern border fronts, a group of smugglers opened fire on the border guards.

The Army responded by applying the rules of engagement, which prompted the smugglers to flee into Syria.

The Army announced that the clash resulted in the martyrdom of Captain Muhammad Yassin Musa Al-Khudayrat and the injury of three individuals, who were evacuated to the King Talal Military Hospital.

The source confirmed that after inspecting the area, large quantities of narcotics were seized and transferred to the competent authorities.

After arresting dozens of drug dealers, the Ministry of Interior asserted that 85% of the seized drugs are intended to be smuggled out of Jordan.

The penalty for drug trafficking in the Kingdom is imprisonment for a period ranging from three to 15 years, depending on the seized quantities, while possession and use are punishable by up to three years in prison.