Amman: Jordanian intelligence said Wednesday that seven men killed in a shootout with troops had ties to the Islamic State group and had planned attacks on military and civilian targets in the kingdom. The arrest raid took place late Tuesday in the northern city of Irbid.
Security forces tracked the suspected militants to a residential building in Irbid, and troops opened fire with automatic weapons after the fugitives refused to surrender, the intelligence service said in a statement Wednesday.
Seven wanted men wearing explosives belts were killed, along with a member of the security forces, it said. Weapons and explosives were found at the scene. The statement said 13 men linked to the same group were detained in previous raids in Irbid, but did not say when those arrests took place.
The statement did not elaborate on the suspects' ties to IS or the planned attacks. Pro-Western Jordan is part of a U.S.-led military coalition against IS in neighbouring Syria and Iraq.
Jordanian security forces have also cracked down on suspected IS sympathizers in the kingdom. Some of those expressing support for the group on social media have been sent to prison by security courts.
The Irbid raids began late Tuesday. City resident Abdullah Nashwan said he heard the sound of shooting, and that security forces cut off power to parts of the city during the raids.
