Jordan knife attacker wounds foreign tourists 

Five people have been stabbed today in a knife attack at the Roman ruins in the city of Jerash, a major tourist attraction in north-west Jordan. The victims included a police officer, a tourist guide and three Spanish tourists, who were taken to a local hospital, said a spokesman for the Hashemite Kingdom’s Public Security Directorate (PSD).

The police officer was stabbed as he tried to apprehend the attacker, who was arrested. A civil defence source told the Independent that the victims suffered minor injuries and an investigation is now underway.

The attacker was described as being dressed in “black isis style militant gear including head covering” by Marco Junipero Serra, who witnessed the stabbing and took to Twitter to share his shock. “And like that… curtains on my adventures in the Middle East.”

Jerash is 51 kilometres from Amman. It is well known for its Roman ruins and is a popular destination for foreign visitors.

Graphic footage of the scene after the attack was posted on social media. A woman is seen lying on the ground and clearly bleeding heavily, while another woman is wearing a blood-stained t-shirt.

#فيديو طعن 3 سياح اسبان ورجل أمن في مدينة #جرش الأردنية واعتقال الفاعل pic.twitter.com/a075rbFN8h

— وكالة شهاب للأنباء (@ShehabAgency) November 6, 2019

The stabbing incident follows the listing of Jordan by Lonely Planet as the sixth top tourist destination in 2019. The Kingdom has seen a considerable increase in the number of foreign visitors.

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