Three Jordanian Security Forces Killed In Raid On Terror Cell

Gunmen killed three members of Jordan’s security forces on Saturday during a raid on a terrorist cell in the city of Salt, located northwest of the capital Amman. According to a government spokesperson, at least three suspects were killed in the assault and five others taken into custody. The shootout came a day after a home-made bomb was detonated under a patrol car at a popular annual music festival, killing one officer and wounding six others. Jordan was hit by a string of jihadist attacks in 2016, including a suicide bombing in June that killed seven border guards and that was claimed by the Islamic State. At the end of the year, a shooting rampage also orchestrated by ISIS killed 10 people including a Canadian tourist. On Saturday, Jordanian Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz vowed that his government would “not be complacent in the hunt for terrorists.” In fact, Amman has played a key role in the United States-led coalition fighting ISIS in neighboring Syria and Iraq, by both contributing its own military assets and acting as a hub for operations.