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Two suspects killed, five arrested as outlaws’ Zarqa hideout raided

Officials vow to ‘reimpose state authority’, restore rule of law

By Rana Husseini - Oct 17,2018 - Last updated at Oct 17,2018

AMMAN — Two wanted suspects were killed and five others arrested at dawn Tuesday following a security raid on their hideout in Zarqa, official sources said.

Prime Minister Omar Razzaz praised the efforts of the security forces in “combating outlaws and bringing them to justice”, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

A joint Gendarmerie-police force surrounded a house where the suspects were hiding and called on them to turn themselves in, a Public Security Department (PSD) statement said.

“The suspects responded with heavy fire from guns and automatic weapons prompting the force to respond with fire,” the statement added.

Two wanted suspects were killed and five others were arrested, and no one was injured from the joint force, the PSD statement added.

A senior official source told The Jordan Times that the seven fell under the police radar after “some of them fired live rounds at a police patrol in Zawahreh neighbourhood in Zarqa almost a week ago”.

“Following the shooting, our investigations led us to these suspects who were also wanted on theft, armed robbery, attempted murder, drug dealing and assault, among other charges, and we placed them under surveillance,” the official source said.

The source added that investigators located their safe house and the decision was to arrest them at dawn on Tuesday.

Upon searching the house, the senior official added, “investigators found dozens of various quantities of narcotics that were stashed in bags and ready to be sold on the market”.

During telephone calls with Gendarmerie Director General Maj. Gen. Hussein Hawatmeh, PSD Director Maj. Gen Fadel Hmoud and Commander of the Special Police, HRH Prince Rashid  and Premier Razzaz stressed the importance of “reimposing the state’s authority to ensure social security”.

Razzaz also reiterated the government’s commitment to enforcing the law in a strict and indiscriminate manner, Petra reported.

Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Hawatmeh on Tuesday said “campaigns against wanted individuals are ongoing”.

“We will continue our fierce campaigns against outlaws and drug dealers and will use an iron fist against anyone who threatens the security and safety of the country,” according to a statement by the Gendarmerie.

Hawatmeh urged the public to “cooperate with the police by reporting such individuals who are acting against the values and traditions of our society”.

 “These individuals should know that we know who they are and we will not allow them to violate the law or to tamper with the future and health of our people and country.”

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