Jordan set to ban government supporters from demonstrating in capital Amman following last week’s clashes

Jordan will ban government supporters from demonstrating in the capital, a top official said Tuesday as King Abdullah II vowed to fight attempts to "sabotage" the country's reform drive.

The measures will be implemented after last week's clashes in which one protester was martyred and 160 were injured, as demonstrators calling for reforms and government supporters plan to mobilize again on Friday.

"From now on protests by loyalists can only be held outside Amman to avoid clashes with the opposition," the official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. "The opposition can demonstrate in certain areas in Amman," he said without elaborating.

Prime Minister Maaruf Bakhit said on Monday the government will allocate certain places for demonstrations, to protect protesters and avoid obstructing the lives of others. "Carrying firearms, bats, stones and sharp tools as well as attempts to prevent peaceful demonstrations are condemned. They harm Jordan's image and reform drive," Bakhit told the state-run Petra news agency.

The king met on Tuesday with members of a committee formed by the government to enhance reforms. "He stressed that Jordan will not allow anybody to 'sabotage' the reform drive," Mustafa Rawashdah told AFP. "He told us that only two percent of Jordanians do not want reforms. He said that 'those who do not want reforms are not loyalist and loyalists must be reformist'."