Jordan: Three Officers Killed in Raid on Police Shooting Suspects

Facts

• Three Jordanian police officers were killed on Monday, following a raid on the hideout of individuals suspected of being involved in the killing of a senior police officer during demonstrations this past week in the southern city of Maan.
• A suspect was killed and nine more arrested, as police seized a large cache of weapons at the hideout in the city. Government sources believe the suspects are ISIS sympathizers who sought to exploit the widespread unrest in the country, with police releasing a statement referring to the suspects as a "terrorist sleeper cell."
• Protests over rising fuel prices spread across the country last week, after truck drivers began striking. Local deputy police director Abdul Razzaq Abdel Hafez Al Dalabeh was shot and killed during subsequent clashes with demonstrators.
• Police have announced the arrest of 44 rioters and continue to search for more than 200 suspects connected with the demonstrations. Over 40 Jordanian security personnel have been injured since the protests began.
• Jordan faces unemployment rates upwards of 20% and an economy struggling with price increases brought on by the war in Ukraine. The government additionally claims that economic relief efforts are being hindered by restrictions imposed under an IMF reform program.
• Jordan has faced similar demonstrations in the past — former Prime Minister Hani Mulki was forced to resign in 2018 in response to protests against energy price increases and tax reforms.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Reuters, Associated Press, DW, and Financial Times.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Arab News. The government of Jordan has repeatedly affirmed its respect for peaceful protests. Security forces acted decisively this week to eliminate terrorist actors who were using the protests as cover to further destabilize the nation. Violence has no place in demonstrations, and the government should be applauded for acting swiftly to deal with rioters and other violent actors giving legitimate protesters a bad name.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Nour News. Given the government's partial role in creating the current economic crisis, it's important to remember that the validity of any news coming out of Jordan should be treated cautiously due to a strict regime of censorship in the nation. A country that values peaceful protests would not impose such sweeping restrictions on free expression as have been introduced under Jordan's government.