Jordanian officials are lashing out at Turkey over Ankara’s role in funding and arming the increasingly hardline Islamist rebels fighting to overthrow the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad. Suggesting that Syria may devolve into a “black hole that sucks Jihadists from around the world,” the Jordanian officials blasted Ankara for empowering “fanatics… at the expense of moderate and secular rebel groups.” Jordan fears that hardline Islamists supplied with advanced weaponry via Turkey will, after overthrowing Assad’s regime, use their arms and training to destabilize Jordan. Though provided anonymously, the statements are diplomatically remarkable both in their anger and in the dire scenarios they outline.

[Photo: Freedom House / Flickr]