Three Suspects Wounded in Arrest After Jordan Church Massacre That Killed 9

Nine people died and 40 were wounded when gunmen attacked a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud on Friday. The village is located in Karak governorate, roughly 120 kilometers southwest of Amman. The shooting occurred during a funeral service and lasted several minutes according to witnesses.

State television reported that security forces arrested three armed suspects on Monday. The men were discovered hiding in an abandoned house in Karak. The Public Security Directorate stated that the suspects refused to surrender and attacked the officers who arrived. Forces returned fire and wounded all three men before securing their arrest. No security personnel were injured in the exchange.

Officials confirmed that firearms and ammunition were found in the possession of the arrested men. Jordanian authorities have described the violence as an act by "extremist terrorists." No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. The Public Security Directorate did not name the suspects or identify any specific militant affiliations.

King Abdullah has ordered security forces to respond with an "iron fist" to the attack. The monarch is a U.S. partner in the fight against Islamist militant groups. The directorate noted that the suspects had met their "just fate" and declared that "terrorism has no place among us."

Violence of this scale is highly unusual in Jordan, a state considered relatively stable in the Middle East. Authorities said they have foiled several Islamist militant plots over the years. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said officials are currently reviewing the circumstances that led young people toward extremism.

Minister al-Faraya added that anyone found to have participated in the attack would be held accountable. The ministry is examining the root causes of the radicalization involved in the Hamoud shooting. The three suspects remain in custody as the investigation continues.