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Jordan attack: Canadian among five dead in Karak shooting | Jordan attack: Canadian among five dead in Karak shooting |
(35 minutes later) | |
A Canadian tourist and four police officers have been killed in gun attacks in and near the Jordanian city of Karak, officials say. | A Canadian tourist and four police officers have been killed in gun attacks in and near the Jordanian city of Karak, officials say. |
Unidentified gunmen went on a shooting spree before fleeing to an ancient castle in the city and reportedly taking several tourists hostage. | |
Jordanian officials said events began with a shoot-out between police and armed men at a house near Karak. The gunmen then fled by car into the city. | Jordanian officials said events began with a shoot-out between police and armed men at a house near Karak. The gunmen then fled by car into the city. |
Nine other people have been wounded. | Nine other people have been wounded. |
No group has admitted carrying out the attacks. | No group has admitted carrying out the attacks. |
"Police and security forces have surrounded the castle and its vicinity and launched an operation to hunt down the gunmen," a statement by Jordan's Public Security Directorate said. | "Police and security forces have surrounded the castle and its vicinity and launched an operation to hunt down the gunmen," a statement by Jordan's Public Security Directorate said. |
One report said some tourists had been released, but this was not confirmed. It is not clear how many are trapped inside Karak's Crusader-era castle. | One report said some tourists had been released, but this was not confirmed. It is not clear how many are trapped inside Karak's Crusader-era castle. |
Footage on social media purportedly from the scene showed armed police moving into the sprawling castle complex and helping tourists when shots ring out and they are forced to retreat. | |
The security directorate statement said gunmen had also shot at a security patrol before they reached the castle. Once inside they opened fire on a police station, a statement said. | |
It is not clear if all the fatalities took place at the castle. | It is not clear if all the fatalities took place at the castle. |
Jordan is a close ally of the US and a member of the US-led coalition fighting the so-called Islamic State (IS) group in Syria and Iraq. | Jordan is a close ally of the US and a member of the US-led coalition fighting the so-called Islamic State (IS) group in Syria and Iraq. |
US forces have trained a small group of Syrian rebels in Jordan as well as Iraqi and Palestinian security forces. | US forces have trained a small group of Syrian rebels in Jordan as well as Iraqi and Palestinian security forces. |
IS has previously threatened to "break down" Jordan's borders. | |
In June the group said it was behind a suicide truck-bomb attack that killed six security personnel on the border with Syria. | |
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