Sporadic clashes continue in Maan as gov’t continues ‘limited’ hunt for suspects

AMMAN — Interior Minister Hussein Majali met over the weekend with Maan dignitaries to discuss the riots that started in the southern governorate last week which left one person dead and several people injured.

Meanwhile, His Majesty King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF), on Saturday instructed authorities to send a helicopter to evacuate a man injured during Friday clashes between outlaws and security forces and treat him at King Hussein Medical Centre in Amman at the expense of JAF, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The riots in Maan began on Tuesday following the death of a citizen during a police chase of wanted suspects who attacked police guarding a court building. Angry citizens blocked the road with burning tyres, and several shops and banks were attacked and vandalised following last week’s deadly incident.

Majali, accompanied by Justice Minister Bassam Talhouni, discussed with a committee formed by Maan dignitaries and titled “Reform and Reconciliation Committee [RCC]”, the reasons that led to escalating the problem in Maan, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported Saturday.

Majali stressed that security forces are only targeting 19 outlaws and wanted individuals in Maan, Petra reported.

“The state must protect the system and Maan residents from this group of outlaws by enforcing law and order,” Petra quoted Majali as saying.

Meanwhile, the RCC members stressed during the meeting with Majali and Talhouni that the governorate faces several problems including poverty, unemployment and the “existence of a limited group of people with bad behaviour and criminal records that deals with drugs”.

“Some outlawed groups and organisations support these groups to resist police and Gendarmerie Forces in an attempt to destabilise the security of the Kingdom,” the RCC charged.

The RCC stressed that Maan citizens “will not allow anyone to use them for their personal agendas and at the same time called on the government to prepare a comprehensive plan to bring back normal life in Maan”, Petra added.

On Friday evening, four people were shot, including one in critical condition, named by Petra as Faraj Fanatseh, following a confrontation with police and Gendarmerie Forces.

“Two of the injured were transferred to hospitals in Amman and the remaining two are being treated in Maan,” an official source from Maan Government Hospital told The Jordan Times.

“I live around 500 metres from the city centre and every day in the evening there are confrontations between security forces and rioters, mostly shooting at each other and burning tyres,” a Maan resident told The Jordan Times Saturday.

Mayor of Maan Majed Sharari said Saturday that “the situation is under control and that an operations room works around-the-clock to monitor the situation”.

“We have met with officials and everyone is leaning towards calming things down for the benefit of all,” Sharari told The Jordan Times.