League condemns Jordan terror attack
Shootout, blasts leave four security personnel and three militants dead
The Arab League yesterday condemned the terrorist bombing in Jordan that targeted a joint patrol of the Gendarmerie and Public Security forces in Fuhais area in Jordan’s capital Amman.
In a statement yesterday, Ahmad Abu Al Gait, Secretary General of the Arab League, condemned the terrorist attack which threatened the security and stability of Jordan.
Also yesterday, Jordanian search teams pulled the bodies of three suspected militants from the rubble of their hideout, a government official said, hours after assailants opened fire and set off explosions that killed four members of the security forces trying to storm the building.
The clash late on Saturday was among the deadliest between suspected militants and Jordanian security forces in recent years. It raised new concerns about attempts by domestic and foreign militants to carry out attacks and destabilise the kingdom.
Jordan has played a key role in an international military coalition that helped push back Daesh in neighbouring Syria and Iraq.
The chain of events in Jordan began on Friday when assailants detonated a homemade bomb under a police car guarding a music festival in the predominantly Christian town of Fuhais, west of Amman.
The blast, labelled a terrorist attack by Jordan’s prime minister, killed a police officer.
Jordanian authorities did not say what motivated the Fuhais attackers, and there was no claim of responsibility.
Security forces chasing the suspects zeroed in on a multistorey building in the town of Salt, near Fuhais, and attempted to storm it late Saturday.
The suspects holed up inside opened fire and set off powerful explosions, officials said. A wing of the building collapsed.
Jordanian search teams pulled the bodies of three suspected militants from the rubble of their hideout, a government official said yesterday, hours after assailants opened fire and set off explosions that killed four members of the security forces trying to storm the building.
The clash late on Saturday was among the deadliest between suspected militants and Jordanian security forces in recent years. It raised new concerns about attempts by domestic and foreign militants to carry out attacks and destabilise the pro-Western kingdom.
Jordan has played a key role in an international military coalition that helped push back Daesh in neighbouring Syria and Iraq.
The chain of events in Jordan began Friday when assailants detonated a home-made bomb under a police car guarding a music festival in the predominantly Christian town of Fuheis, west of the capital of Amman. The blast, labelled a terrorist attack by Jordan’s prime minister, killed a police officer.
Jordanian authorities did not say what motivated the Fuheis attackers, and there was no claim of responsibility.
Security forces chasing the suspects zeroed in on a multistory building in the town of Salt, near Fuheis, and attempted to storm it late Saturday. The suspects holed up inside opened fire and set off powerful explosions, officials said. A wing of the building collapsed.
In initial statements late Saturday, government spokeswoman Jumana Ghuneimat said three members of the security forces were killed and that five suspects were in custody.
Yesterday, she added that the bodies of three suspects were pulled out of the rubble.
The Hala Akhbar news website linked to Jordan’s military said the suspects are Jordanians and that the cell had planned to attack security installations and other sensitive targets. The site said the suspects had been armed with explosives, grenades and weapons. Jordan has been a target for attacks by Daesh in recent years.