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American trainers shot and killed by a Jordanian police officer

Of note, Jordan is now hosting several hundred USA trainers to bolster the kingdom’s defense and assist regional allies.

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Jordanian government spokesman, Mohamad Momani, said the shooter’s name was Anwar Abu Zaid.

First reports in the Jordanian media gave contradictory accounts with a few reporting that the incident may have been “accidental” while others suggested an exchange of fire between the Americans and the Jordanian officer.

The shooting took place on the outskirts of the Jordanian capital, Amman, at the King Abdullah Special Operations Training Center.

The US-funded Jordan worldwide Police Training Centre (JIPTC) hosts mainly Palestinian and Iraqi officers.

Jordan, traditionally a close USA ally, is part of the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State militants in neighboring Syria and Iraq.

But the kingdom’s role in the war against ISIL has caused disquiet among a few Jordanians anxious about instability at their borders and fearing that a stepped-up role in the campaign might lead to attacks in their country.

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A spokesperson for the USA embassy in Jordan tells Newsweek by email: “We have received reports about a security incident at JIPTC”.

US and Jordanian soldiers participate in Exercise Eager Lion at the Jordan Saudi Arabia border south of Amman