Jerash residents condemn stabbing attack as ‘act of cowardice’

JERASH — The people of Jerash have voiced their condemnation of the stabbing attack against eight people, including four tourists and four Jordanians in Jerash on Wednesday. They described the attack as “heinous, sinful and vile”, saying that it “does not correspond to the local community's norms and teachings”.

On Wednesday, security agencies reported that a man injured eight people in a random stabbing outside the Roman City of Jerash, some 45 kilometres north of Amman.

Among the injured are four tourists, including three Mexicans and a Swiss national. The condition of one of the Mexican tourists and a Jordanian, who is a tour guide, remains critical, and they were transferred to the King Hussein Medical Centre via helicopter.

The eight victims were initially rushed to the Jerash Public Hospital. Health Minister Saad Jaber, the Mexican ambassador, the northern region police director and director of the Jerash Public Hospital checked on the injured.

A driver and a tour guide were among the injured, and a number of other tour guides were eyewitnesses to the stabbing. They also helped in the arrest of the assailant.

"The assailant was stopped by a police officer, a guide and a driver," an eyewitness, who preferred to remain anonymous, told The Jordan Times.

"All the locals who were at the scene participated in stopping him from attacking more people," the eyewitness added.

"He tried to enter the ancient site, however, people ran after him and forced him back, where he was stopped by the police officer, guide and driver who had been stabbed," he explained.

"This stranger attacked everyone in his way from Hadrian's Gate to the Philadelphia Gate. Tourists, a policeman and brother Zaher [a guide] were injured," tour guide Nader Habaybeh, who joined in chasing the assailant, told The Jordan Times.

"The nightmare ended after more policemen pounded him, stripped him of the knife and cleaver and arrested him," Habaybeh added.

Members of the local community in Jerash issued a statement condemning the attack, describing it as "an act of cowardice".

On social media, residents of Jerash expressed disapproval of such an attack against innocent people.

"This coward will not affect the security of our country," a resident commented on a post with the assailant's photo on Facebook.

Sources at the Public Security Department said that the suspect has been identified and arrested. They added that an investigation is under way.