Canadian woman is among nine people shot dead as gunmen take tourists hostage at castle in Jordan

• Nine people were killed after armed men in Jordan opened fire in what appear to be targeted attacks against tourists and police in Karak on Sunday.

A Canadian woman, five police officers and three Jordanian civilians were killed in Karak, a tourist destination famous for its castle about 70 miles south of the capital of Amman.

Shots broke out in different areas of Karak before the gunmen fled to the city's medieval castle, where several tourists inside were taken hostage.

Police surrounded the castle and stormed the fortress, rescuing those who were trapped inside. 

Twenty-nine people, some with serious injuries, were taken to the hospital, according to security sources.

Shots broke out in different parts of Karak, before a group of gunmen fled to the city's medieval castle, where several tourists are believed to be trapped inside.

A Canadian woman was killed in a shootout between police and armed men who had holed themselves up in a medieval castle in southern Jordan.

 

Gunmen in different areas of the Karak governorate opened fire in short succession, appearing to target police as well as tourists near the castle.

According to Jordan's Public Safety Directorate, a police patrol responded to reports of a house fire in the town of Qatraneh, about 25 miles outside of the city of Karak.

Gunmen posted inside the home ambushed the police and wounded two officers before fleeing by car, Al Jazeera reported. 

Another security patrol was attacked, but no one was injured.

Shots were also fired at a police station in Karak Castle, wounding 'several policemen and passerby', according to Petra. 

A police patrol responded to reports of a house fire earlier on Sunday, only to be attacked by gunmen inside the home, it was reported. Pictured, Jordanian police near Karak Castle.

Twenty-nine people, some with serious injuries, were taken to the hospital (pictured), according to security sources.

Authorities said 'five or six gunmen' were involved, but Prime Minister Prime Minister Hani Mulki said there were 10 assailants inside the castle. 

'Police and security forces have surrounded the castle and its vicinity and launched an operation to hunt down the gunmen,' according to a statement issued by the  Public Security Directorate.

Mulki, who was addressing parliament at the time of the attacks, said 'a number of security personnel' had been killed.

The Canadian government confirmed one of its nationals was among the victims.

The identity of the assailants was not immediately clear and no group has taken responsibility. 

Gunmen opened fire in different parts of the governorate of Karak. Officers were first targeted in Qatraneh, before shots rang out at a medieval castle in the city of Karak, located about 70 miles south of Amman.

Jordan, a key ally of the US, is part of a coalition fighting against the Islamic State and Syrian rebels have been trained in the country. 

While it has not been rocked by the Arab Spring and Isis to the same degree as other countries in the Middle East, Jordan has amped up security amidst bouts of violence.

Three American service members were killed as they approached the gate at the Prince Faisal airbase in Al Jafr in November,CNN reported.

In June, Isis claimed responsibility for a suicide car bombing on the Syrian border that killed six of Jordan's security forces.