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Petra bus attack exposes divisions within local Jordanian community

A recent attack on a tourist bus in Petra seems linked to ongoing tensions between the Bdoul and Layathna tribes, who compete with each other for revenues in Petra’s souvenir and tourism hospitality economy.
A member of Al B'doul, a Bedouin tribe with his camel awaiting for tourists outside Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (the Treasury).
On Saturday, February 10, 2019, in Petra, Ma'an Governorate, Jordan. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

A gunman opened fire on a bus traveling through Umm Sayhoun, a village located 3 kilometers (2 miles) north of Petra, on Aug. 24. While the bus sustained material damage, the gunfire did not injure its driver and sole occupant. Prior to the incident, the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) used this vehicle to transport tour guides between Wadi Musa and Petra.

With 828,952 visitors in 2018, the city of Petra represents the cornerstone of Jordan’s tourism sector, whose total contribution to the country’s gross domestic product exceeds 19%.

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