Jordan's King Abdullah discusses military co-operation with Centcom head

The two countries signed a security pact last year

A Jordanian soldier participates in military drills in Zarqa, northeast of Amman, on June 6, 2022. AFP

King Abdullah II of Jordan discussed military co-operation with the head of US Central Command on Monday, the Royal Court said.

Jordan, a major recipient of US aid, early last year signed a security pact with Washington. It commits the kingdom to providing logistical and other support for several thousand American troops in the country.

A Royal Court statement said the king and Gen Michael Kurilla discussed “the close co-operation … in the defence field, and the regional and international efforts in the war on terror.”

The statement did not give any further details.

The meeting between the two men comes after Jordan participated in a meeting last week of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, of which it is a member.

The US has been also helping Jordan bolster its northern borders with Syria. The area is renowned for the smuggling of drugs into the kingdom, which Amman has blamed on the Syrian military and pro-Iranian militias.