The attacker also wounded six others, Reuters reported, including two more Americans, before Jordanian security forces killed him. The attacker gunned down the individuals in the cafeteria of the training center, which is located outside of Jordan’s capital, Amman.
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It is not clear whether the Americans who were killed and injured were U.S. servicemen, or ex-military security contractors. The facility is manned by a mix of global security trainers who provide training to Jordanian security forces.
Mohammed Momani told the Associated Press that an investigation had been launched into whether the motive for Monday’s shooting attack at the JIPTC was personal or political.
The shootings took place at the Jordan global Police Training Center just outside of Amman.
The Jordanian embassy in Washington said the assailant also wounded five, including two Americans and three Jordanians, before being shot dead.
“We strongly condemn this incident and we deeply appreciate the cooperation and support received from our Jordanian partners”, the statement said.
The US State Department said they are in contact with the Jordanian government, but has provided few details. The United Arab Emirates carried out its most recent strikes in Syria in March, Jordan in August and Saudi Arabia in September, according to information provided by allied officials. That outrage was orchestrated by Abu Musa al-Zarqawi, commander of Iraqi Al Qaeda in 2005, who is held up as one of the great heroes of the contemporary Islamic State. There are still 30,000 contractors working for the Defense Department in Afghanistan, according to the latest Pentagon count, and roughly 10,000 of those civilian workers are US citizens.
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BBC News noted that Jordan has been a strong USA ally in the war against terrorism in Iraq and Syria, and has been carrying out airstrikes against the Islamic State terror group in the region.
