Three gendarmerie officers injured in Ruseifa riots ‘in good condition’

AMMAN — Three gendarmerie officers who were injured at dawn on Monday while attempting to stop riots that followed the death of a man over the weekend in Ruseifa, remained hospitalised and are in "good condition", official sources said.

The three officers were part of a force that was attempting to quell riots that erupted on Saturday after the shooting death of Fadi Khalayleh, 32, during a wedding, a senior official source said.

“Three of our officers were shot at by unidentified assailants at dawn on Monday and rushed to hospital for treatment,” the senior official source told The Jordan Times.

Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi told The Jordan Times that one suspect turned himself into police on Monday after he learned that he was wanted in connection with the death of Khalayleh.

Sartawi also said that one person was arrested a day earlier in connection with the shooting incident.

“We have arrested one individual and are looking for more suspects in connection with the shooting incident and the riots that ensued,” Sartawi told The Jordan Times.

Meanwhile, a third suspect was arrested later on Monday after a raid at his house in Amman's Jubeiha neighbourhood, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported quoting a security source.

A Ruseifa resident told The Jordan Times that unknown individuals attacked public and private property in the teacher’s housing unit in Ruseifa following news of Khalayleh’s death.

“The riots were brought under control by the gendarmerie forces, but the situation remains tense in the neighbourhood where the acts of arson and the attack occurred,” the resident, who preferred anonymity, said.

The resident added that community leaders are currently exerting their efforts to maintain calm in the area.

Officials are still not disclosing the cause of the incident, citing confidentiality of the investigation.