Anti-narcotics agent shot dead during hunt for suspect

AMMAN — An anti-narcotics agent died on Monday during a raid in Zarqa to arrest a "dangerous" suspect, the Public Security Department  has announced.

In  a statement, the police’s media directorate identified the fallen officer as Seargent Mohammad Salameh Saqarat from the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND), who succumbed to his wounds later in the day.

The suspect was hiding in a public garden in Zawahreh neighbourhood in Zarqa, which lies 22km east of Amman.

When the AND agents arrived at the place to arrest him, the suspect initiated a shoot out, killing the officer and fleeing to an unknown place, the police said.

The suspect was still at large when this story went to print, and the police has launched a hunt for him.