Jordan Captures Three Gunmen in Abandoned House After Karak Church Massacre

Security forces in Jordan ended a days-long search for the attackers behind a deadly church shooting by arresting three armed suspects on Monday. The confrontation took place in an abandoned house in the village of Al-Jadeeda, within Karak governorate, according to the Public Security Directorate.

The three men refused to surrender and opened fire on security personnel, initiating a standoff that lasted approximately three hours. Forces returned fire, wounding all three suspects before taking them into custody. A government source indicated that the attackers sustained serious injuries during the exchange, with one suspect left in critical condition. No security personnel were reported injured, and investigators recovered firearms and live ammunition at the scene.

The suspects were linked to an attack that occurred on Friday at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud. Located roughly 120 kilometers southwest of Amman, the church hosted a funeral when three gunmen opened fire, killing eight people and injuring 40, as confirmed by the Ministry of Health. As of Monday, 27 of the injured remained hospitalized. The director of Prince Ali Military Hospital in Karak noted that one patient was in critical condition following surgery.

Karak is home to a large portion of Jordan’s Christian minority, which numbers approximately 300,000 out of a national population of 11.5 million. King Abdullah II stated that those responsible for the attack would face the harshest penalties and ordered a review of security procedures used to respond to such incidents.

Government Communication Minister Mohammad Momani commended the security forces on Monday for executing a successful joint operation. He confirmed that the suspects were injured and detained after resisting arrest. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya added that authorities are reviewing the circumstances that lead young people to embrace violence and pledged to hold anyone found to have participated in the attack accountable.

The Public Security Directorate stated that the suspects had met their just fate without specifying their affiliated groups. The ministry continues to monitor the health of the injured survivors and the condition of the three arrested men.

The next steps involve the formal processing of the suspects and the completion of the security procedure review ordered by the King.