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Jordan raid targeting suspected militants kills 8 Jordan: 7 killed in raid had ties to IS, planned attack
(about 1 hour later)
AMMAN, Jordan — A government spokesman confirmed Wednesday that an arrest raid and shootout in Jordan’s third largest city targeted a militant group. AMMAN, Jordan — Jordanian intelligence said Wednesday that seven men killed in a shootout with troops had ties to the Islamic State group and had planned attacks on military and civilian targets in the kingdom.
Mohammed Momani told state media that the operation late Tuesday in the city of Irbid left eight dead, including seven wanted men and a member of the Jordanian security forces. The arrest raid took place late Tuesday in the northern city of Irbid.
The target of the raid was a “terrorist group,” Momani told The Associated Press in a text message. He did not elaborate. Previous statements by the security forces had only referred to the wanted men as “outlaws.” Security forces tracked the suspected militants to a residential building in Irbid, and troops opened fire with automatic weapons after the fugitives refused to surrender, the intelligence service said in a statement Wednesday.
Pro-Western Jordan is part of a U.S.-led military coalition against the extremist Islamic State group in neighboring Syria and Iraq. Seven wanted men wearing explosives belts were killed, along with a member of the security forces, it said. Weapons and explosives were found at the scene.
Jordanian security forces have also cracked down on suspected IS sympathizers in the kingdom. Some of those expressing support for the group on social media have been sentenced to prison. The statement said 13 men linked to the same group were detained in previous raids in Irbid, but did not say when those arrests took place.
The operation in downtown Irbid began late Tuesday, with security forces raiding several locations and exchanging fire with the fugitives. In one area, troops surrounded a building where the wanted men were holed up. The statement did not elaborate on the suspects’ ties to IS or the planned attacks.
Irbid resident Abdullah Nashwan said he heard the sound of shooting, and that security forces cut off power to parts of the city during the raids. Pro-Western Jordan is part of a U.S.-led military coalition against IS in neighboring Syria and Iraq.
Jordanian security forces have also cracked down on suspected IS sympathizers in the kingdom. Some of those expressing support for the group on social media have been sent to prison by security courts.
The Irbid raids began late Tuesday. City resident Abdullah Nashwan said he heard the sound of shooting, and that security forces cut off power to parts of the city during the raids.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.