Three Jordanian police were killed on Monday as they raided a hideout of militants suspected of gunning down an officer during riots in the southern city of Maan, police and security sources said.

One suspect was killed, nine others were arrested and a large cache of weapons was found in the operation near the desert city, police said.

The three officers were "martyred in a raid on a terrorist sleeper cell that holds Takfiri ideology," the police statement said, referring to Islamist militants who accuse Muslims who don't follow their beliefs of being apostates.

The raid took place four days after unrest over fuel price rises boiled over into riots in Maan and several cities across southern Jordan, in some of the worse unrest seen there in years.

A senior policeman was shot dead on Thursday evening as security forces clashed with crowds.

Security sources, who asked not to be named, said there was evidence that the group raided on Monday followed the ideology of Islamic State and were trying to exploit the unrest to destabilise the country.

The government has vowed to take tough steps and deploy more anti-riot police against people who protest violently against a squeeze in living conditions.

Police have said more than 40 security personnel were wounded in the clashes where protesters smashed cars, burnt tyres and mounted road blocks to close a highway.

The authorities said they have arrested 44 people in connection with the unrest and more than 200 suspects were wanted in connection with the troubles.

The unrest and a string of other attacks have shaken Jordan, which was comparatively unscathed by the uprisings, civil wars and militant violence that have swept the region since 2011.