After the terrorist attack on the Jordanian access point for Syrian refugees in Rakban, Jordan has found itself in an open and unstoppable confrontation with terrorist groups.

Therefore, it stands to reason that any forthcoming confrontation could take on a bigger dimension, especially since the Rakban attack might be a reverberation of the operation to eliminate Daesh in Iraq and Syria.

The operation might push the terrorist group and its allies to breach new border areas and expand the area of conflict, thus securing some new shelters to escape the attacks on territories they had claimed as their own.

Many security experts believe that various terrorist groups seek to adopt new strategies based on surprise attacks in new places.

These kinds of outbreaks are expected to coincide with the intensification of the offensive against Daesh in Mosul and Raqqa. Daesh can also employ this strategy to distract the international coalition from its preparation to move to plan “B”, which includes targeting new places through shocking and terrifying operations.

The direct attack on the military access point means that Jordan is now in the range of the potential outbreak; therefore, the Kingdom should implement a radical change in the way it is dealing with the Syrian and Iraqi crises, regionally and internationally.

The current state of open war would also mean that these attacks might not be limited to military and security targets, but also target civic life.

A clear strategic vision and scientific planning are needed for the near-term phase of confrontation with terrorism.

The coming challenges require a very high level of professionalism and thorough consideration of the current risks posed by the changes in terrorists’ methods and the nature of their attacks.

These challenges also require a high state of commitment and seriousness for Jordan to maintain its security — strong control, attentive follow-up and prompt intervention.

This should be in parallel with a plan to improve the state’s public narrative to ensure that it is the only credible source in the face of terrorist propaganda.

Moreover, it is important to focus on mobilising morale using sound, intelligent arguments, far from demagoguery that usually has a negative effect.

The Rakban terrorist attack might be more complex than it appears, since the terrorists have succeeded in this operation after Jordan’s security agencies had prevented hundreds of other attempts without even announcing them. 

Any mistakes should be addressed scientifically, and should push the authorities to work more on preventing any potential attempts to undermine the Kingdom’s security by implementing drills and hypothetical scenarios to study the terrorists’ new methods.