Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The Jordanian government on Wednesday ruled out involvement of external parties in the violent clashes and protests that have erupted this week in the southern governorate of Maan.
Minister of State for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani told UPI on Wednesday that the government is working to contain the problem, and rules out any involvement of external parties in fueling the events in Maan.
"What I want to say is that the government does not feel that any external parties are involved in the events there," Momani told UPI.
The Minister's comments comes as the southern governorate of Maan, some 220 kilometers south of Amman, witnessed continued clashes between local residents and security forces on the backof deadly violence that erupted at Al Hussein bin Talal University on Monday, that left 4 people dead and over 22 injured.
"The reasons behind the problem are very clear, what happened in Maan is truly regretful, and is being addressed by the security forces and the Ministries of Interior and Higher Education," the Minister said.
The Minister stressed that the government will exert all efforts to contain the phenomenon of university violence that has troubled Jordanian society.
Local residents clashed again with security forces on Wednesday and blocked main roads and set up check points, pulling over vehicles, searching them, and asking drivers and passengers for IDs.
The angry young men, mostly tribal relatives of two men killed in Monday's clashes at Al Hussein University, rioted on Tuesday and Wednesday in the town of Al Hussainiya and Mohammadiyah.
The Hweitat tribe, who lost two of its sons on Monday, issued a statement on Tuesday stressing that it will not hesitate in "taking revenge of any person in Maan if the security forces do not disclose the identities of those who shot two of the Hweitat tribe during the clashes in Al Hussein bin Talal University."
Tribal leaders in Maan held an urgent meeting on Wednesday to address the violence there.
Minister of Interior Hussein Majali announced earlier on Wednesday that over 700 students took part in the clashes. He noted that two of the victims were fired at from outside the university campus.
Police arrested 22 people suspected of involvement in the university clashes. 10 were released on Wednesday, and police is continuing investigation into the incident.