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Jordan attack: Knifeman stabs eight, including tourists, in Jerash | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A knifeman has injured four foreign tourists and four locals in an attack in the Jordanian city of Jerash. | |
Three Mexicans and a Swiss national were among the wounded. One of the Mexicans and a Jordanian tour guide were hurt seriously, the health minister said. | |
The suspected attacker was arrested nearby by police. | |
Jerash, home to a well-preserved ancient Roman site, draws thousands of foreign visitors every year. | Jerash, home to a well-preserved ancient Roman site, draws thousands of foreign visitors every year. |
Videos on social media show one woman lying bleeding on the ground and another woman in a blood-stained shirt. | Videos on social media show one woman lying bleeding on the ground and another woman in a blood-stained shirt. |
Jordan's health minister, Saed Jaber, told reporters that all the injured were taken to a local hospital within 15 minutes. The Mexican tourist and Jordanian tour guide injured seriously were then taken to a separate hospital by helicopter and underwent surgery. | |
"The bleeding was stopped, the situation has been controlled, and both cases are stable," Mr Jaber said. | |
An American tourist, Marco Junipero Serra, told the BBC the person who had carried out the attack was dressed all in black and had his face covered with a mask. | An American tourist, Marco Junipero Serra, told the BBC the person who had carried out the attack was dressed all in black and had his face covered with a mask. |
The attacker jumped a fence at the site at around 11:00 (09:00 GMT) and began stabbing people indiscriminately, Mr Serra said. | |
According to him, police did not lock down the site during the incident, and people were still free to walk in and out. | |
One of those injured was Ali El Agrabawi, the driver of a tourist bus. At Jerash hospital he told reporters he had been stabbed while trying to stop the assailant from entering a cafeteria full of tourists. | One of those injured was Ali El Agrabawi, the driver of a tourist bus. At Jerash hospital he told reporters he had been stabbed while trying to stop the assailant from entering a cafeteria full of tourists. |
Jordan, viewed as a relatively safe destination, heavily depends on its tourism industry. | Jordan, viewed as a relatively safe destination, heavily depends on its tourism industry. |
According to country's tourism board, the country is home to 21,000 archaeological and historical sites. | According to country's tourism board, the country is home to 21,000 archaeological and historical sites. |