Islamic State (IS) militants claimed responsibility on Tuesday for a shoot-out at a Crusader castle in the southern Jordanian city of Karak in which at least nine people including a Canadian tourist were killed.
An IS statement said four of their fighters undertook the operation on Sunday that ended in their deaths. Jordanian officials have not said who they suspect in the attack though security sources said the perpetrators were Jordanian nationals.
Jordanian police said late on Sunday that they had killed four “terrorist outlaws” after flushing them out of the castle where they were holed up after an exchange of fire that lasted several hours. Security forces were able to release around 10 tourists unharmed. At least 30 people were taken to hospital.
Interior Minister Salamah Hamad said on Monday at least five suicide belts were found, together with an ammunition cache, automatic weapons and explosives in a hideout in a house in the desert town of Qatranah, 30 km northeast of Karak.
Jordan has been relatively unscathed by Islamist militancy that has swept West Asia since 2011.
However, it is among the few Arab states that have taken part in a U.S.-led air campaign against IS militants holding territory in Syria and Iraq. — Reuters
