AMMAN — Church representatives and residents in governorates across Jordan on Monday announced cancelling Christmas celebrations to mourn the loss of the security personnel and civilians in the southern city of Karak.

On Sunday night, 10 people were killed in Karak, some 150km south of Amman, including four police officers and three gendarmes, and four terrorists were killed in the operation.

Two civilians and a Canadian national were killed, with 34 civilians and police officers injured during the attack, according to officials.

Fuheis Mayor Huweishel Akroush said the municipality cannot hold its annual Christmas and holiday season celebrations after the death of innocent civilians and security personnel.

“Every year, we celebrate the holidays together as one entity. This year, we will be mourning the death of our people in Karak, including the civilians and policemen,” he told The Jordan Times.

The municipality had planned to light the main Christmas tree on Thursday, but the event was cancelled, as “it is not appropriate to celebrate while other Jordanians are grieving the loss of family members”, Akroush said.

“We cancelled all the celebrations and events for Christmas this year. The country mourns the loss of the victims. Celebrations cannot be held as others are mourning,” he added.

Fuheis resident Ayman Samawi said the decision to cancel Christmas celebrations shows the unity of the Jordanian people.

Samawi, who is a member of the Orthodox club in Fuheis, 20km northwest of Amman, said the club had turned off the lights of the Christmas trees at its premises and on the circle located in the city centre.

In Fuheis and Karak, church bells rang to mourn the victims of the terror attack in the southern governorate, residents said.

“Church bells ring today to mourn our victims and to show the world the people of Jordan stand tall against acts of terrorism and darkness,” Samawi added.

Head of the Orthodox Church in Karak, Father Adel Madanat, said, Muslims and Christians have been living together for decades in the southern city.

“We have shared tough and joyous times together. Out of respect, we will cancel all the events and festivities for the holiday season,” Madanat said, calling for trusting security agencies in Karak and respecting the law.

Another Karak resident said Christians in the city will not celebrate and decorate their homes for Christmas to show respect to the dead and their families.

“Jordan is not divided. We are all mourning the losses of Karak. Regardless of our religions, origins or political affiliations, Christmas is not the same when Jordan is mourning,” she added.

From Madaba, Father Iyad Bader said Latin and Catholic churches in Jordan have also cancelled their celebrations in solidarity with the families’ victims.

The Catholic Centre for Studies and Media issued a statement condemning the terror attack on the southern governorate, urging churches in all governorates to call off the season’s celebrations.

The centre cancelled the scheduled plan to light a Christmas tree near the Airport Road on Wednesday, according to Bader.

Madaba resident Sally Alsalem told The Jordan Times “it is every Jordanian’s responsibility to express solidarity with the victims and to mourn the murder of Jordanian civilians, policemen and gendarmes”.</s>KARAK, Jordan — Jordanian troops with armored vehicles have blocked access to a popular tourist site — a Crusader castle — following attacks in the area that killed 10 people the previous day, including a Canadian visitor.

State-media said on Monday that Jordan launched an investigation into the shootings, among the bloodiest attacks in recent years.

The attack was also the latest in a series of assaults over the past year that challenged the pro-Western kingdom’s claim to be an oasis of calm in a region increasingly threatened by Islamic extremists.

The attack was likely to further harm Jordan’s battered tourism industry, on the decline since militants from the Islamic State group seized control of parts of neighboring Iraq and Syria two years ago.</s>At least 10 people have been killed and several others were taken hostage by fighters who have holed themselves up in a medieval castle in the Jordanian city of Karak, according to officials.

A standoff between Jordanian special forces and fighters inside the castle continued after nightfall on Sunday, several hours after the first shooting.

Government officials declined to comment on local news reports saying the attackers were holding hostages.

Police in the mountainous city, around 120km south of the capital Amman, freed 10 people, including foreign tourists, but some were reportedly still being held in the Crusader-era castle.

Hani al-Mulki, Jordan's prime minister, told parliament "a number of security personnel" had been killed and that security forces were laying siege to the castle.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Mohamed al-Momani, a government spokesperson, told Jordanian media that seven policemen, a Canadian tourist and two civilians were killed in the shootings. At least 27 others were reported wounded.

The Canadian government confirmed the death of one of its nationals.

Reports of house fire

Police said the violence began when fighters starting shooting at officers patrolling the town, then entered the castle, perched on top of a hill.

A police patrol had received reports of a house fire in the town of Qatraneh in Karak district, a statement by Jordan's Public Security Directorate said.

Officers responding to the call came under fire from inside the house, the statement said, adding that two policemen were wounded, while the assailants fled in a car.

تعزيزات امنية تتوجه إلى قلعة #الكرك pic.twitter.com/vcVuGG7Qnw — AlMaqar صحيفة المقر (@Maqarcom) December 18, 2016



In another attack, the Public Security Directorate said, fighters fired on a security patrol in Karak, causing no injuries.

At the same time, armed men holed up in the Crusader castle opened fire on Karak police station, "wounding several policemen and passers-by" who were rushed to hospital, according to the statement.

"Police and security forces have surrounded the castle and its vicinity and launched an operation to hunt down the gunmen."

The Public Security Directorate said the hunt for "the five or six gunmen" thought to be involved in the shootings was under way.

Witnesses posted purported amateur videos and images of the incidents on social media.

Several incidents over the past year have jolted the Arab kingdom.

Jordan is a leading member of the US-led coalition battling the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group in neighbouring Iraq and Syria.



It has carried out air strikes targeting ISIL fighters and hosts coalition troops on its territory.

Moaz al-Kassasbeh, a Jordanian fighter pilot, was captured by ISIL, also known as ISIS, when his plane went down in Syria in December 2014 and he was later burned alive in a cage.

Karak is Kassasbeh's hometown.

In June, a suicide bombing claimed by ISIL killed seven border guards near the Syrian frontier.

According to sources close to ISIL, almost 4,000 Jordanians have joined armed groups in Iraq and Syria, where an estimated 420 have been killed since 2011.</s>KARAK, Jordan — Officials say the casualty toll in a series of shooting attacks in Jordan has risen to nine dead, including a Canadian tourist, and 27 wounded.

One of Sunday's attacks took place at a Crusader castle popular with tourists.

The shootings were the latest in a series of attacks that have challenged the pro-Western kingdom's claim to be an oasis of calm in a region threatened by Islamic extremists.</s>AMMAN: Gunmen killed 10 people including a Canadian tourist and police officers on Sunday in southern Jordan, before security forces killed four attackers in a siege lasting several hours.

The shootings took place in Karak, a tourist destination known for one of the biggest Crusader castles in the region, around 120 kilometres (70 miles) south of the capital Amman.

Jordan’s general security department said seven policemen, a female Canadian tourist and two Jordanian civilians were killed in a series of shootings.

It said that 27 others, including policemen and civilians, were wounded.

Four attackers who had taken refuge in the castle were killed later Sunday by security forces who had besieged them amid exchanges fire lasting several hours, a security source said.

The Canadian foreign ministry confirmed that one of its nationals had been killed in the attack and another injured in “the heinous attack.”

Canadian officials in Amman are “actively working with local authorities to gather additional information and are providing consular assistance to Canadians at this difficult time,” a foreign ministry official said.

“The government of Canada stands ready to assist Jordan in bringing the perpetrators of this attack to justice,” a statement added.

Earlier, the prime minister said 10 gunmen were holed up in the fortress, while the general security department spoke of “five or six gunmen” who were thought to be involved in the shootings.

The first attack took place early in the afternoon when a police patrol went to check on a house fire in Karak, the department said in a statement carried by the official Petra news agency.

“As soon as they reached the area, unknown gunmen who were inside the house opened fire on the patrol, wounding a policeman, and then fled by car,” the statement said.

Gunmen later fired on another patrol while more shots rang out from inside the Crusader castle, aimed at the Karak police station and “wounding several policemen and passersby,” it said.

“Police and security forces have surrounded the castle and its vicinity and launched an operation to hunt down the gunmen.”

A senior security source said some people had been trapped in part of the citadel when the gunmen took shelter there, but denied media reports that they were being held hostage.

“There are no hostages. But some people who were on a lower floor were afraid of leaving as the gunmen traded fire with the security forces,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

He said that the gunmen were on a higher level inside the fortress.

The Jordan Tourism Board describes the Karak citadel, which dates back to the 12th century and has withstood many sieges, as a “maze of stone-vaulted halls and endless passageways.”

Prime Minister Hani al-Malki, who was addressing parliament at the time of the shootings, said that “special forces and policemen are surrounding 10 gunmen holed up inside the Karak citadel.”

It was not immediately clear who was behind the shootings, but Jordan has been hit by Islamist attacks in the past.

Jordan is a leading member of the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in neighbouring Iraq and Syria.

It has carried out air strikes targeting IS, and also hosts coalition troops on its territory.

Maaz al-Kassasbeh, a Jordanian fighter pilot, was captured by the jihadists when his plane went down in Syria in December 2014, and he was later burned alive in a cage.

In June, a suicide bombing claimed by IS killed seven border guards near the Syrian frontier.

According to sources close to Islamists, almost 4,000 Jordanians have joined jihadist groups in Iraq and Syria, and an estimated 420 have been killed since 2011. AFP</s>KARAK, Jordan — Gunmen ambushed Jordanian police in a series of attacks Sunday, including at a Crusader castle popular with tourists, killing seven officers, two local civilians and a woman visiting from Canada, officials said.

At least 27 people were wounded in one of the bloodiest attacks in Jordan in recent memory.

The standoff between Jordanian special forces and armed men holed up inside the castle continued after nightfall Sunday, several hours after the first shooting. Government officials declined comment on local news reports that the attackers had taken hostages who were later freed.

Shots could still be heard at the scene on Sunday evening, and security forces fired tear gas to flush out the gunmen.

The shootings were the latest in a series of attacks that have challenged the pro-Western kingdom's claim to be an oasis of calm in a region threatened by Islamic extremists.

The killing of the Canadian tourist could further hurt Jordan's embattled tourism sector, which has declined sharply since the Islamic State group seized large parts of neighboring Syria and Iraq two years ago.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks in and near the central town of Karak, about 140 kilometers (87 miles) south of the capital, Amman.

The chain of events began when a police patrol received reports of a house fire in the town of Qatraneh in the Karak district, said a statement by Jordan's Public Security Directorate.

The officers responding to the call came under fire from inside the house, the statement said. Two policemen were wounded and the assailants fled in a car, it said.

In another attack, gunmen fired on a security patrol in Karak, causing no injuries, the statement said.

Armed men also opened fire on a police station in Karak Castle, a Crusader fort, wounding members of the security forces. The statement said five or six gunmen were believed to be holed up inside the castle.

In all, seven members of the security forces, two local civilians and the tourist from Canada were killed, security officials said. Twenty-seven people were wounded.

Jordan faces homegrown extremism, with hundreds of Jordanians fighting alongside other Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria and several thousand more supporting the extremist group in the kingdom. Jordan is a key U.S. ally, and a member of a U.S.-led military coalition fighting IS.

Over the past year, gunmen have carried out several attacks on members of the Jordanian security forces and foreign trainers. Earlier this year, Jordanian security forces engaged in a deadly shootout with suspected IS sympathizers in a northern Jordanian town.

In the most recent incident, three U.S. military members were killed in a shooting outside an air base in southern Jordan in November. The three were in Jordan on a training mission, and came under fire while driving into the base.</s>A Jordanian man takes pictures amidst rain and tear gas fired by security forces to disperse local residents angry about the attack, next to Karak Castle, during an ongoing attack, in the central town of Karak, about 140 kilometers (87 miles) south of the capital Amman in Jordan, Sunday, Dec.18, 2016. Officials say gunmen have carried out a series of attacks in central Jordan, including at the Crusader castle popular with tourists, killing four members of the Jordanian security forces and a woman visiting from Canada.

KARAK, Jordan — Gunmen assaulted Jordanian police in a series of attacks Sunday, including at a Crusader castle popular with tourists, killing seven officers, two local civilians and a woman visiting from Canada, officials said. Several armed men were reported barricaded inside the castle after nightfall, hemmed in by special forces soldiers.

At least 34 people, including two foreign nationals, were wounded in the day's violence, which was one of the bloodiest attacks in Jordan in recent memory.

Security officials said in a statement late Sunday that at least four gunmen were killed and that troops continued to search the area. The statement said large amounts of weapons had been seized. It made no reference to local media reports that at one point, the attackers had held hostages.

The shootings were the latest in a series of attacks that have challenged this pro-Western kingdom's claim to be an oasis of calm in a region threatened by Islamic extremists.

The killing of the Canadian tourist could further hurt Jordan's embattled tourism sector, which has declined sharply since the Islamic State group seized large parts of neighboring Syria and Iraq two years ago.

Another Canadian was injured in the shooting, Canada's Global Affairs spokesman John Babcock said.

"Canadian officials in Amman are actively working with local authorities to gather additional information and are providing consular assistance to Canadians at this difficult time," he said.

The Canadian Embassy in Amman issued an alert warning urging Canadians to avoid travel to Karak, a town in central Jordan about 140 kilometers (87 miles) south of the capital.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks in and near Karak.

The chain of events began when a police patrol received reports of a house fire in the town of Qatraneh in the Karak district, said a statement by Jordan's Public Security Directorate. Officers responding to the call came under fire from inside the house, the statement said. Two policemen were wounded and the assailants fled in a car, it said.

In another attack, gunmen fired on a security patrol in Karak, causing no injuries, the statement said.

Armed men also opened fire on a police station at Karak Castle, a Crusader fort, wounding members of security forces. The statement said five or six gunmen were believed to be holed up inside the castle.

In all, seven members of the security forces, two local civilians and the tourist from Canada were killed, security officials said. Fifteen members of the security forces, 17 local civilians and two foreign nationals were injured.

Jordan faces homegrown extremism, with hundreds of Jordanians fighting alongside other Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria and several thousand more supporting the extremist group in the kingdom. Jordan is a key U.S. ally, and a member of a U.S.-led military coalition fighting IS.

Over the past year, gunmen have carried out several attacks on members of the Jordanian security forces and foreign trainers. Earlier this year, Jordanian security forces engaged in a deadly shootout with suspected IS sympathizers in a northern Jordanian town.

In the most recent incident, three U.S. military members were killed in a shooting outside an air base in southern Jordan in November. The three were in Jordan on a training mission, and came under fire while driving into the base.

Associated Press writer Omar Akour reported this story in Karak and AP writer Mohammed Daraghmeh reported from Gaza City, Gaza Strip.</s>By JT - Dec 19,2016 - Last updated at Dec 19,2016

AMMAN — Karak Governorate, which has a population of 316,629 according to the 2015 population census, is located around 150km south of Amman.

Karak Castle is a “dark maze of stone-vaulted halls and endless passageways”, according to the Jordan Tourism Board’s (JTB) website.

In the Castle Plaza, 19th century Ottoman administrative buildings have been redesigned to house a tourist centre, with restaurants, a crafts centre and other facilities grouped around the central plaza, the website said.

While the castle essentially dates back to the 12th century, Karak has been a fortress since biblical times.

Many Jordanian Christian families come from Karak, and some of them trace their origins back to the Byzantines, the JTB said.</s>Jordanian state television said four policemen, two Jordanian civilians and the Canadian woman were killed as gunmen fired at police in three areas. The shootout was still going on as of late Sunday afternoon.

The deadliest exchange of fire happened at the 12th-century, crusader-era castle in the city of Karak, located about 132 kilometers (82 miles) south of the capital of Amman.

The site is now cordoned off by security officers who were still engaged with five or six gunmen, the Public Security Directorate said in a statement.

The violence began when a police patrol came under gunfire as it responded to a report in al-Qatranah, about 40 kilometers away from Karak. Two policemen were injured and the attackers fled in a vehicle, the statement said.

Shortly after, gunmen fired at another police patrol in Karak and then at a police station from inside the Karak fortress. Reuters reported the gunmen had holed themselves up in the castle, citing police and security sources who said other tourists were believed to be trapped inside. It is unclear who is behind the attacks. Jordan is a key US ally that has foiled several terror plots. The country has not suffered as much violence as other Arab nations, especially Syria and Iraq, although some attacks have occurred. outside the Prince Faisal airbase in Al Jafr. American officials said it outside the Prince Faisal airbase in Al Jafr. American officials said it Three American service members were shot to death in November outside the Prince Faisal airbase in Al Jafr. American officials said it might have been a terror attack. In June, at least six members of Jordan's security forces on the Syrian border were killed in a suicide car bombing launched from the Syrian side in what the government suspects was an attack by ISIS militants. Jordan has increased security around tourist sites in recent years because because instability in the region has hurt the tourism industry. The Karak castle is a key tourist site in central Jordan.</s>Jordan's Public Service Directorate said five policemen, three Jordanian civilians and the Canadian woman were killed as gunmen fired at police in three areas.

The shootout was still going on as of late Sunday afternoon with five or six gunmen surrounded in the castle in the city of Karak, the PSD said. The 12th-century, crusader-era castle is located about 132 kilometers (82 miles) south of the capital of Amman.

The violence began when a police patrol came under gunfire as it responded to a report in al-Qatranah, about 40 kilometers away from Karak. Two policemen were injured and the attackers fled in a vehicle, the statement said.

Shortly after, gunmen fired at another police patrol in Karak and then at a police station from inside the Karak fortress.
Unknown militants stage a number of attacks across the city of Al-Karak in Jordan, killing five people and injuring at least 10 others.