A Jordanian air force captain has deserted to join the al-Nusra Front fighting in Syria, a family member and a Salafist leader told AFP on Monday.
“Ahmad Atallah Shbeib al-Majali, born in 1984, took a leave from his job last Wednesday and travelled to Turkey on Friday and from there he went to Syria to join the rebels,” the family member told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that he was promoted two weeks ago.
The anonymous Salafist leader told AFP that“the captain from the southern city of Karak has been in touch with members of Nusra and has decided to join them. There are eight people fighting with Nusra from his area.”
The al-Nusra Front is one of the most succesful on the Syrian battlefield and is closely aligned with the ideology of al-Qaeda. They aim to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and establish an Islamic state in Syria.
Jordanian Salafists have reported upto 500 Jordanians are fighting in Syria.
