3 Jordan Students Die, 18 Police Hurt in Clash

Students throwing rocks and bottles fought with police at Yarmouk University in Irbid and three students were killed, an Interior Ministry official said Thursday.

The official reported that 18 policemen were injured in the unrest in the northern Jordan city and that several students and teachers also were injured. He did not say how the deaths or injuries occurred, but he said that unarmed police had stormed the campus to prevent rioting students from breaking windows, doors and desks. The students attacked the police with stones and bottles, he said.

The protest apparently was triggered by a tuition increase for engineering students, he said. The students also were protesting the expulsion of 32 students who took part in demonstrations two weeks ago.