Jordan: 1 dead in Syria refugee camp

A man was killed and 10 other Syrian refugees were arrested when a riot broke out in a desert camp of northern Jordan, a security chief said Sunday.

"Unknown assailants shot and killed a 25-year-old Syrian man during the riots on Saturday" at Zaatari refugee camp, Brigadier General Waddah Hmud said.

"Police did not use weapons against the refugee," said Hmud, who heads a department in charge of Syrian refugee affairs, told reporters at the sprawling camp.

Another security official named the man as Khalid Nemri.

Witnesses in the camp, which is home to more than 100,000 refugees, told AFP on Saturday that a woman was killed in a clash with Jordanian police.

"Police arrested 10 Syrian rioters for their role in the riots," Hmud said, adding that 29 policemen were injured in the violence.

Jordanian officials said the riot broke out after the detention of a group of refugees who had left the camp "illegally." Three refugees were injured.

"Around 5,000 Syrians took part in the riots. Anti-riot police had to fire tear gas to disperse them," Hmud said.

Since opening two years ago, Zaatari which lies near the border with Syria has been the scene of several protests, mainly over poor living conditions.

Jordan is home to more than 500,000 Syrian refugees.