Gunman Killed, Three Policemen Injured in Shooting Near Israeli Embassy in Jordan

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

A gunman was shot dead and three Jordanian policemen were injured during a shooting near the heavily fortified Israeli embassy in Amman early Sunday morning, according to security sources and state media.

The incident unfolded in the affluent Rabiah neighborhood, where the gunman, armed with an automatic weapon, opened fire on a police patrol. Jordanian police pursued the suspect for over an hour before cornering and killing him just before dawn, reported the state news agency Petra.

Jordan's Minister of Communications, Mohamed Momani, labeled the shooting a terrorist act targeting public security forces.

“Tampering with the security of the nation and attacking security personnel will be met with a firm response,” Momani said, adding that the attacker had a criminal history, including drug trafficking charges.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing, with authorities maintaining a heavy security presence in the area. Eyewitnesses reported hearing gunshots in the Rabiah district, a frequent site for demonstrations against Israel. Police cordoned off the area surrounding the embassy, and ambulances were dispatched to the scene.

Jordan has been a focal point of protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza, with its significant population of Palestinian descent. Many of Jordan’s citizens, or their ancestors, were displaced during the creation of Israel in 1948.

The attack comes against the backdrop of widespread discontent over Jordan’s 1994 peace treaty with Israel, which many citizens view as a betrayal of Palestinian rights.

This incident underscores the fragile security environment in the region, exacerbated by heightened tensions stemming from Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza. While Jordan remains a key player in maintaining regional stability, such attacks highlight the challenges the kingdom faces in balancing internal unrest and external relations.

The investigation continues, and authorities have vowed a robust response to threats against public security.