Jordanian security forces killed seven Islamist militants in armed clashes with Islamic State group sympathisers in the northern city of Irbid near the Syrian border, a security source said on Wednesday.

One Jordanian police officer was also killed in the security operation against militants holed up in the city, which began on Tuesday night and ended at dawn, the source said.

It was one of the largest sweeps against sleeper cells of sympathisers of hardline Islamist groups in recent years, according to officials.