Amman: A Canadian tourist, two Jordanian civilians and seven Jordanian security personnel, were shot and killed when around six "terrorists" holed up in a Crusader-era castle in the southern city of Karak engaged in a shootout with security forces, the Jordanian government said on Sunday.
The BBC reported about 10 am (AEDT) that Jordanian security forces said they had killed four gunmen after flushing them out of the castle.
More World News Videos
- Video duration
- 01:19
Carnage in Jordan as deadly siege ends
Carnage in Jordan as deadly siege ends
A deadly siege in Jordan ends after security forces free tourists trapped inside a medieval castle.
Up Next
Survivor's tears after Chapecoense tragedy
- Video duration
- 00:46
- Video duration
- 00:46
Survivor's tears after Chapecoense tragedy
Survivor's tears after Chapecoense tragedy
Chapecoense defender Alan Ruschel breaks down during a press conference after several of his teammates were killed in plane crash in Colombia.
Up Next
Phoebe's offer to replace Big Ben's bongs
- Video duration
- 00:59
- Video duration
- 00:59
Phoebe's offer to replace Big Ben's bongs
Phoebe's offer to replace Big Ben's bongs
When eight-year-old Phoebe Hanson heard Big Ben would fall silent at times during a three renovation, she wrote to the BBC with an offer to replace the chimes live on BBC radio.
Up Next
Could the electoral college stop Trump?
- Video duration
- 01:14
- Video duration
- 01:14
Could the electoral college stop Trump?
Could the electoral college stop Trump?
US liberal group MoveOn.org launches a campaign to get the electoral college to reject Donald Trump as president even though it has very little chance of succeeding.
Up Next
Carnage in Jordan siege
- Video duration
- 01:16
- Video duration
- 01:16
Carnage in Jordan siege
Carnage in Jordan siege
Deadly siege in Jordan as security forces free tourists trapped inside a medieval castle, amid reports a Canadian woman, two other civilians and four police officers were killed during exchange of gunfire.
Up Next
Syrian evacuation buses set ablaze
- Video duration
- 01:03
- Video duration
- 01:03
Syrian evacuation buses set ablaze
Syrian evacuation buses set ablaze
Several buses on their way to evacuate two government-held villages in Syria have been attacked and burned, according to Syrian state media.
Up Next
Santa scales Berlin skyscraper
- Video duration
- 00:44
- Video duration
- 00:44
Santa scales Berlin skyscraper
Santa scales Berlin skyscraper
Ditching the traditional chimney, Santa Claus climbs a high-rise tower to deliver presents to delighted children at a Berlin cafe.
Up Next
Yemen suicide bomber kills 30 soldiers
- Video duration
- 00:38
- Video duration
- 00:38
Yemen suicide bomber kills 30 soldiers
Yemen suicide bomber kills 30 soldiers
A suicide bomber killed at least 30 soldiers in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden on Sunday a week after an attack by the militant Islamic State group killed 50 troops nearby.
Carnage in Jordan as deadly siege ends
A deadly siege in Jordan ends after security forces free tourists trapped inside a medieval castle.
Police said suicide belts and weapons had been seized at a hideout used by the "terrorist outlaws".
However, it was not clear if the men belonged to any militant group.
Related Content
At least 29 people were taken to hospital, some with serious injuries, security sources said.
The violence began when a patrol was sent to check on reports of a house on fire in al-Qatranah. When security officers arrived on the scene, they were met with a barrage of gunfire from inside the home, injuring two officers. The gunmen fled the scene, according to the statement from the Public Security Department. Gunmen then attacked a police station in the city.
Later in the day, police were informed that gunmen were hiding inside Karak Castle, a prominent tourist attraction on a hilltop.
The statement confirmed the death of four members of the security forces, three gendarmes, two civilians and a Canadian tourist, without specifying exactly where the deaths had occurred. Twenty-seven people were injured, the statement said.
Government minister and spokesman Mohammad al-Momani told state television there was a manhunt to "eliminate" the gunmen. He did not elaborate.
"The security forces and gendarmes are in the final stage and we don't want to pre-empt news ... we will be dealing with this group of terrorists and eliminate them," Mr Momani said.
Witnesses said occasional gunfire was heard in the vicinity of the castle, where police said earlier they had rescued nearly 10 tourists who were on a tour of the historic site and trapped inside when the gunmen went into the castle.
It was not clear if there were any other tourists in the castle where the gunmen shot at security forces who were surrounding it. Police earlier said the gunman had taken hostages.
The identity of the assailants was not immediately clear.
A former government minister from Karak city, Sameeh Maaytah, said there were signs Islamist militants may have been behind the attack but the government has so far steered away from saying this.
"The operation is continuing, it has not ended and the criminals are still inside the castle ... This was a group that was plotting certain operations inside Jordan," Mr Maaytah told pan-Arab news channel al-Hadath.
Video footage on social media showed security forces taking groups of young Asian tourists up the castle's steep steps to its main entrance as gunshots were heard overhead.
The castle is one of the country's most popular tourist attractions.
Prime Minister Hani al-Mulki told parliament "a number of security personnel" had been killed and that security forces were laying siege to the castle. The Canadian government confirmed one of its nationals had been killed.
Police and witnesses said gunmen had earlier gone on a shooting spree aimed at officers patrolling the town before entering the castle, perched on top of a hill. They used one of the castle's towers to fire at a nearby police station.
Qatranah is a desert town nearly 30 kilometres north-east of Karak city, a desert outpost known for smuggling where many tribal residents are heavily armed.
Jordan is one of the few Arab states that have taken part in a US-led air campaign against Islamic State militants holding territory in Syria. But many Jordanians oppose their country's involvement, saying it has led to the killing of fellow Muslims and raised security threats inside Jordan.
Officials worry about radical Islam's growing profile in Jordan and support in impoverished areas for militant groups. Jordan also hosts large refugee populations from the Syrian and Iraqi conflicts.
Reuters, New York Times