Nine Dead as Jordanian Forces Wound Three Suspects in Karak Church Attack

Nine people died when gunmen opened fire at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud on Friday. The shooting occurred during a funeral in Karak governorate, a region located roughly 120 kilometers southwest of Amman. Witnesses reported that the gunfire continued for several minutes. Forty additional people sustained injuries in the attack.

Jordanian security forces detained three armed suspects on Monday following a shootout. State television confirmed the arrests were connected to the deadly incident at the church. The suspects were discovered hiding inside an abandoned house in Karak. According to the Public Security Directorate, the men refused to surrender and fired upon security personnel. Officers returned fire, wounding all three before taking them into custody.

The directorate stated that no security personnel were injured during the engagement. Law enforcement recovered multiple firearms and ammunition from the suspects. Authorities described the attackers as "extremist terrorists" but did not publicly link them to any specific Islamist group. The directorate noted that the suspects had met their "just fate." No group has claimed responsibility for the violence.

King Abdullah ordered security forces to respond with an "iron fist" to the attack. The monarch, a United States partner in countering Islamist groups, emphasized a strong response to violence targeting the country's Christian minority. Jordan is generally considered a stable state in the Middle East. Officials say they have foiled several Islamist plots in previous years.

Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said officials are examining the circumstances that drive young people toward extremism. He added that anyone found to have participated in the attack would be held accountable. The directorate did not release the names of the three detained suspects.