Jordanian police arrest three armed men after Karak church shooting

Jordanian security forces arrested three armed men on Monday following a multi-day search for attackers linked to a deadly shooting at a church in the Karak governorate. The suspects were located hiding in an abandoned house in the village of Al-Jadeeda, according to the Public Security Directorate.

The men refused to surrender and opened fire on security personnel. Officers returned fire and detained all three suspects after wounding them. A government source stated that the confrontation lasted approximately three hours and that the attackers sustained serious injuries.

One of the arrested men remained in critical condition due to his wounds. Petra News Agency reported that no security personnel were killed during the operation. Investigators recovered firearms and live ammunition from the site.

Government Communication Minister Mohammad Momani described the capture as a successful joint operation in a post on social media. He confirmed that the three suspects were injured and taken into custody after fighting began when they declined to give up. The Public Security Directorate stated that the suspects met their just fate while noting that terrorism has no place in Jordan.

The suspects are linked to an attack that occurred on Friday at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud. Three gunmen fired at a funeral, killing eight people and injuring 40 others. Hamoud is located approximately 120 kilometers southwest of Amman, the capital.

Twenty-seven of the injured patients were still hospitalized as of Monday. The director of Prince Ali Military Hospital in Karak reported that one patient remained in critical condition after undergoing surgery. Jordan’s Ministry of Health provided the initial casualty figures following the shooting.

Karak is home to a significant portion of Jordan’s Christian minority, which numbers about 300,000 individuals in a population of 11.5 million. King Abdullah II stated that those responsible for the attack would face the harshest penalties. He ordered a review of national security procedures for responding to such incidents. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said authorities are examining why young people turn to violence and will hold all participants accountable.