Jordan's interior minister resigns after outcry over breaches in COVID-19 lockdown

A member of the Jordanian security forces directs voters outside a polling station in Amman on November 10, 2020. (AFP)

• Al-Halalmah said he took "moral" responsibility for the unruly events that followed announcements of the results of parliamentary elections
• The resignation of the interior minister came shortly after King Abdullah in a tweet expressed his indignation at the scenes widely circulating on social media

CAIRO: Jordan’s interior minister announced Thursday his resignation after several COVID-19 curfew violations were committed in the Kingdom, state-run Petra News Agency reported.
Jordanian Prime Minister Bishr Al-Khasawneh said that the minister, Tawfiq Al-Halalmeh, had resigned “out of a moral and political responsibility” due to curfew violations that occurred over the past two days as Jordanians celebrated election results.
Some rioting took place as well as weapons being used in some parts of the kingdom as part of the celebrations that followed the electoral process, the statement added.
"I salute him for this responsible attitude and a deep sense of responsibility," Khasawneh said of the outgoing minister.
He also pointed to the Jordanian King’s post on Twitter regarding the celebratory chaotic scene.
“The unfortunate scenes that we saw from some people after the electoral process are a clear violation of law, and are against the safety and health of society, and do not reflect the true awareness of the vast majority,” the king tweeted.
The prime minister stressed that the government would not tolerate any violations, adding that the government would not stand idle and would hold accountable everyone who was involved in such events.