Gov’t stresses efforts to arrest PSD officer shooter

• Riots have resulted in 49 injuries among PSD officers — PSD
• The strike resulted in suspension of supplies in number of vital facilities, a matter that the government will not allow to continue

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah has directed all relevant security forces to identify and arrest the perpetrator who killed colonel Abdelrazzaq Al Dalabeeh during riots in Maan governorate, Interior Minister Mazen Faraya said on Friday.

During a press conference on Friday at the Interior Ministry, Faraya said that the government has been handling the situation “wisely and with accountability” since the beginning of the protests, and have held a number of consultative meetings to discuss the demands of truck owners.

He noted that those demands have been addressed, stressing that the strike resulted in a suspension of supplies in a number of vital facilities, a matter that the government will not allow to continue.

Faraya expressed his deepest condolences to the family of Dalabeeh, highlighting that security measures will be intensively implemented in areas that witness riots.

The hardest decision that the government had to make is to increase the prices of fuel derivatives, he said, adding that lowering the prices will incur the Kingdom financial consequences that will be difficult to handle.

He added that the strikes and protests harm the living of the citizens, and result in health, material, and lives losses.

The government is committed to respect the peaceful freedom of expression, as it is a right granted by law and constitution, he noted. 

Also speaking at the press conference, Public Security Directorate (PSD) Director Maj. Gen. Obaidallah Maaytah said that riots have resulted in 49 injuries among PSD officers, stressing that they have been shot directly.

“The protests deviated from the peaceful path”, and they now became an attack on public properties and streets, he said, adding that a total of 70 PSD vehicles and over 90 citizens’ vehicles were attacked.

Maaytah highlighted that the security forces will spare no efforts and will hit with an iron fist all who attempt to tamper with homeland security, pointing out that acts of inciting violence over social media have been detected and legal measures will follow.

Minister of Government Communications Faisal Shboul said that the shooting death of colonel Abdelrazzaq Al Dalabeeh while on duty is “a painful incident that represents lifting arms in the face of state”, adding that the PSD’s Cybercrime Unit has detected a number of videos that incite violence and killing, which resulted in a temporary suspension of that social media platform, after the platform has been warned for many times without any response.