UNIPATH STAFF
In an effort to break up international terrorist networks, Jordanian forces have instigated crackdowns on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the al-Nusrah Front as they attempt to establish havens in Jordan. A crackdown on sympathizers of the terrorist groups, responsible for bloodshed in neighboring Syria and Iraq, led to dozens of arrests in late 2014.
The anti-terror campaign reached some Jordanian towns where a small minority of residents has embraced violent extremism such as Zarqa, Rasefah and Ma’an. The campaign also included an intensification of security operations along the Syrian-Jordanian border, taking in places such as Ramtha and Irbid.
Recognizing that regional cooperation is the only way to defeat this toxic ideology, the Jordanian government has cooperated with the Iraqi and Afghan government to round up terrorists and destroy their networks.
Similar operations in the tribal region of Pakistan are viewed as an equally important part of defeating terrorism and stabilizing Afghanistan. When it comes to defeating violent extremist organizations, international partnerships are critical.
Source: Al Jazeera, Asharq Al-Awsat