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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - A tense calm prevails in Faqou' district in the southern governorate of Karak following a night of rioting over the death of an 18-year old Tawjihi student during protests earlier on Thursday.

Faqou' residents clashed with security forces Thursday night, in protest of the death of the student, who reportedly died as a result of being struck by a solid object in the chest.

Residents claim the student was struck by a tear gas can fired at protesters earlier that day over the General Secondary School Examination (Tawjihi).

The victim's family reached an agreement with security forces to receive the victim's body after being promised by security forces to reveal the name of the police officer accused of throwing the tear gas bottle.

The 18-year student old was killed on Thursday during riots that erupted in Faqou' district in the southern governorate of Karak over the General Secondary School Examination (Tawjihi).

When the riots erupted following the exam in the morning, security and gendarmerie cadres were deployed to disperse the protests, firing tear gas at the protesters reportedly causing the death of the Tawjihi student.

The body was transferred to the Southern Center for Forensic Medicine in Karak for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Security reinforcements were sent to the district, just north of Karak, to attempt to prevent any further escalation of riots and violence by residents following the student's death.

Ammon News learned that gendarmerie forces did not enter Faqou' district, avoiding clashing with locals.

Meanwhile, confrontations occurred between local residents and policemen there after angry residents tried to storm into the Faqou Police Precinct.

On its part, the Public Security Department (PSD) media office said on Thursday that Tawjihi examination committee at a school in Faqou district requested support after a man was caught attempting to help students inside the examination hall to cheat.

Following the end of the exam, over 200 students and some family members attacked the Faqou police precinct and reportedly hurled rocks, causing security cadres to use tear gas to disperse the crowds, PSD said.

PSD added that after the incident, Karak Police Department learned that one of the students was rushed to the hospital, but died upon arrival.

An investigation was launched into the incident.

A number of policemen were injured and were treated at the hospital, remaining in good condition, PSD said, adding that the riots left damages to the police precinct and vehicles.