676 Chapter 5
MID#3171
Dispute Number: 3171
Date(s): February 24, 1966 to December 21, 1966
Participants: 663 Jordan/652 Syria
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: 1–25 deaths
Narrative: Jordan put its troops on alert after a coup in Syria. This was followed by
several incidents, culminating in a Syrian army assassination squad attack in Jordan
toward the end of the year.
Coding changes: End Date changed from December 29, 1966.
MID#1039
Dispute Number: 1039
Date(s): June 11, 1970 to September 26, 1970
Participants: 645 Iraq, 652 Syria/2 United States of America, 200 United Kingdom,
663 Jordan, 666 Israel
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: 101–250 deaths
Narrative: In early September 1970, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
(PFLP) hijacked four international flights headed to Jordan and held approximately 500
passengers (predominately American) hostage. The hijacking was intended to provoke
fighting between the government of Jordan and the Palestinian rebels. Jordan’s King
Hussein responded by moving forward with military force against Palestinian fighters on
September 17, and the United States became more concerned with the possible involve-
ment of either Syria or Iraq to aid Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and PFLP reb-
els. On September 18, the Soviet Union reassured the United States that Syria would not
invade Jordan, but Syrian forces still moved into northern Jordan the following morning.
After successful Jordanian military attacks, American pressure on Moscow to
retreat, and the threat of American-supported Israeli air and ground attacks, Syrian-
supported PLO forces began to move out of Jordan on September 22 and 23. The
crisis deescalated over the course of the following days, with an agreement reached
on September 26 and all hostages being released by September 29.
Coding changes: Dropped from the dispute: 365 Russia. Outcome changed from
Unclear. Settlement changed from None.
MID#1081
Dispute Number: 1081
Date(s): July 16, 1971 to August 13, 1971
Participants: 652 Syria/663 Jordan
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: 1–25 deaths
Narrative: Syrian and Jordanian artillery exchanged fire along their border. Palestin-
ian fedayeen, whom Jordan had forced out of the country, had set up bases in Syria,
with Syrian support, and were staging raids into Jordan.