Jordanian army says car failed to stop at gate of airbase in al-Jafr, leading to exchange of fire

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Three US service members have been killed outside a military base in southern Jordan, in an exchange of gunfire with Jordanian military guards. The official added: “We are working with the Jordanian government to gather additional details about what happened.”

In addition to the US casualties, a Jordanian officer was also wounded, according to Jordanian officials, although it was not clear if he was in the car or at the gates of the base. Since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011, Washington has spent millions of dollars to help Jordan set up an elaborate surveillance system known as the Border Security Programme to stem infiltration by militants from Syria and Iraq. The last incident involving U.S. personnel was in November last year when a Jordanian officer shot dead two U.S. government security contractors and a South African at a U.S.-funded police training facility near Amman before being gunned down.
Three U.S. service members are killed in an exchange of gunfire with Jordanian military guards outside the King Faisal Air Base near Al-Jafr, Jordan. A Jordanian officer is also injured in the incident.