Jordanian armed forces will not be putting boots on the ground in Syria, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Major General Mahmoud Freihat, confirmed yesterday.

Freihat denied speculation that Jordan was planning a military intervention inside Syria, following rumours sparked after the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) - also known as the Arab Army- began a restructuring at the senior level.

As part of the restructure, Freihat was appointed as chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff in October last year, replacing General Mashal Al Zaben.

Speaking at a breakfast banquet for military retirees, held by the General Command at the Jordanian Armed Forces Hotel, Freihat stressed that the restructuring of the JAF did not indicate a shift in Jordan’s military approach to Syria.

According to Freihat, his appointment and the general structuring at the senior level of the General Command of the JAF, was to reinforce the security and stability of Jordan and improve general performance in the Arab Army.

This is not the first time speculation has risen over Jordan’s involvement in the Syrian conflict. Earlier last month, local and regional press speculated that a joint military exercise between Jordan and the US could signal imminent American, British and Jordanian military intervention inside Syria to minimize the threat posed by the so-called Islamic State.

Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis in 2011, Jordan has been part of a US strategy that aims to prevent the conflict from spilling over into neighbouring countries. Jordan remains an active member of the international coalition fighting IS and continues to carry out air sorties, and there are military coordination cells with Syria and Iraq.