'Tourism movement back to normal in Petra'

AMMAN — Tourism activities were back to normal on Sunday in Wadi Musa a day following acts of riots and roadblocks by hundreds of residents in the south of the Kingdom, police said.

“Life is back to normal in Petra and tourists are flocking to the Rose-Red City and other parts of Wadi Musa,” Maj. Wasfi Etoum, the acting spokesperson of the Public Security Department, said.

The police official added that the area witnessed minor riots late Saturday night by protesters “but the situation was immediately brought under control by the gendarmerie forces that were deployed in the area”.

The Friday incident in the city of Petra, some 235km south of Amman, led to a temporary diversion of tourist trips on Friday to the ancient city as a precautionary measure.

Hundreds of people threw stones at passing vehicles, and later lit tyres and poured oil on the road.

Gendarmerie forces were dispatched to the area and fired tear gas to disperse the protesters.

The protesters were demanding swift government action to retrieve their money from individuals who conned them into giving substantial amounts of money to implement fraudulent investments last year.

Several suspects were arrested in the alleged fraud of Wadi Musa residents, but the case is still in the judiciary’s hands.

Etoum said search was ongoing for around 30 individuals involved in the riots.