'Terror attack' rocks Jordanian intelligence post near Amman

A "terror attack" has killed five Jordanians, the government said on Monday. 

According to reports, three Jordanian intelligence officers and two employees were killed in the attack on a security office in a Palestinian refugee camp.

The incident took place near the capital Amman at around 7am local time (04.00 GMT) the official told Jordanian TV. 

"The intelligence agency office in the Baqaa camp was the target of a cowardly attack shortly before 7:00 am today that left five agents dead," government spokesman Mohammed Momani said.

He said that the incident was definitely a "terrorist attack" but gave no further details about the attack that took place in Palestinian Baqaa refugee camp. 

Later on Monday, the government said a suspect had been arrested for allegedly carrying out the attack.

Government spokesman Mohammed Momani announced the arrest without identifying the accused, adding: "Early indications are that this was an isolated act."

The attack, a rarity on Jordanian soil, comes as the Muslim world begin to mark the holy month of Ramadan. 

Jordan has carried out air strikes against the Islamic State (IS) group in both Iraq and Syria.

One of its pilots was captured by the militants when his plane went down in Syria in December 2014. IS later released gruesome footage of him being burned alive.

Jordan has also opened up the Prince Hassan airbase, northeast of the capital, to other members of the US-led coalition taking part in the air war.

In March, Jordanian authorities announced they had foiled an IS plot to carry out attacks in the kingdom in an operation that led to the deaths of seven militants.