Has IS established foothold in Jordan?

A correspondent in Jordan

Mar 9, 2016

Officers of the Jordanian public security department stand guard in the northern city of Irbid, Jordan, March 2, 2016, where a manhunt conducted by Jordanian security forces resulted in the killing of several Islamist militants. REUTERS/ Muhammad Hamed - RTS8X5A — Officers of the Jordanian public security department stand guard in the northern city of Irbid, Jordan, where a manhunt conducted by Jordanian security forces resulted in the killing of several Islamist militants, March 2, 2016. — REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

Jordanians are still reeling from the shock of a dramatic security operation undertaken March 2 in the northern city of Irbid. The predawn, hourslong raid on a cell linked to the Islamic State (IS) resulted in special forces killing seven extremists wearing explosive belts. The government's action followed the arrest of 13 suspects earlier in the day. One Jordanian security officer was killed and five others were injured in the operation.

This was the first confrontation in the kingdom with an armed group associated with IS since Jordan joined the international coalition fighting the Salafist jihadist organization in September 2014. In a March 2 statement, the General Intelligence Department said that the seven men killed in Irbid were planning to carry out attacks on military and civil targets in the kingdom.