Jordan says compulsory military service to be reinstated soon

By Laith Al-Jnaidi and Mohammad Sio

AMMAN, Jordan / ISTANBUL (AA) – Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah said Sunday that compulsory military service will soon be reinstated, though he did not provide an exact date.

“We must prepare young people to be ready to serve and defend the homeland,” the crown prince said during a meeting with young men and women in the northern city of Irbid, as cited by a royal court statement.

“Everyone who has gone through military service understands its importance,” he added.

Prince Hussein said the program would help “strengthen national identity, deepen young people’s connection to their land, and instill discipline, especially alongside the members of the Jordanian Armed Forces.”

He explained that he had previously instructed the government to work with partners to develop the program under a specific timeline, with details to be announced later.

Jordan decided in September 2020 to gradually reintroduce compulsory service after suspending it in 1991.

The conscription law, first passed in 1976, has been amended several times. Before reinstating the draft, the military and security services relied on voluntary enlistment to meet personnel needs for men and officers between the ages of 18 and 27.