Jordanian security forces arrested three suspects early Monday after a shootout in an abandoned house in Karak, linking them to Friday's gun attack on a Greek Orthodox church funeral that killed nine people and wounded about 40.
Jordanian security forces arrested three armed suspects early Monday after a shootout in an abandoned house in Karak, according to the Public Security Directorate. The men are linked to Friday's attack on a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud during a funeral.
The Friday shooting killed nine people and wounded about 40 others. Authorities said the suspects refused to surrender, opened fire on security forces, and were wounded before being taken into custody. No security personnel were injured, and firearms and ammunition were recovered.
The attack was rare in Jordan, a close US ally, targeting the country's small Christian minority in a governorate with a notable Christian population. King Abdullah II had ordered an iron-fist response and three days of national mourning.
The Public Security Directorate's statement confirms the arrests after the confrontation and the seizure of weapons. Multiple outlets including Reuters and AP corroborate the death toll of nine and the timing of the operation. No group has claimed responsibility, and officials have described the perpetrators as extremist terrorists without confirming specific organizational ties.
The arrests mark a concrete step in the manhunt that followed the attack, which began with initial reports of seven dead before the toll rose. Next steps include formal charges and any further investigation into possible wider networks, as Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya said authorities are examining circumstances leading young people to extremism.
People Sentiments Public Mood: Negative
- Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya: We have apprehended the killers and will hold accountable anyone involved.
- King Abdullah II: The hand of justice will reach every terrorist.