Jordan gained its independence in 1946 and Amman was designated the country 's capital . Amman received many refugees during wartime events in nearby countries , beginning with the 1948 Arab – Israeli War . A second wave arrived after the Six-Day War in 1967 . In 1970 , Amman was a battlefield during the conflict between the Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO ) and the Jordanian Army known as Black September . The Jordanian Army defeated the PLO in 1971 , and the latter were expelled to Lebanon . The first wave of Iraqi and Kuwaiti refugees settled in the city after the 1991 Gulf War , with a second wave occurring in the aftermath of the 2003 invasion of Iraq . Most recently a wave of Syrian refugees have arrived in the city during the ongoing Syrian Civil War which began in 2011 . Amman was a principal destination for refugees for the security and prosperity it offered . On 9 November 2005 , Al-Qaeda under Abu Musab al-Zarqawi 's leadership launched coordinated explosions in three hotel lobbies in Amman , resulting in 60 deaths and 115 injured . The bombings , which targeted civilians , caused widespread outrage among Jordanians . Jordan 's security as a whole was dramatically improved after the attack , and no major terrorist attacks have been reported since then
coordinated explosions
2005 Amman bombings
Amman