3 Suspects Wounded in Karak Church Shooting Standoff

Jordanian security forces detained three armed men on Monday after a three-hour firefight in Karak governorate. The suspects were hiding in an abandoned house in the village of Al-Jadeeda when officers moved to arrest them. The men refused to surrender and opened fire on the police, who returned the shots. All three were taken into custody after sustaining injuries.

A government source told Al Jazeera that one suspect is in critical condition while the others suffered serious wounds. Petra News Agency reported that no security personnel were hurt during the exchange. Investigators found firearms and live ammunition at the scene. The Public Security Directorate stated that the suspects had met their just fate, though it did not name a specific group linked to the attack.

The arrests follow a deadly shooting on Friday at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud. Three gunmen opened fire on a funeral gathering in the community, located roughly 120 kilometers southwest of Amman. The Ministry of Health confirmed that eight people were killed and 40 were injured in the attack.

Twenty-seven of the injured were still hospitalized as of Monday. The director of Prince Ali Military Hospital in Karak said one patient remained in critical condition following surgery. Government Communication Minister Mohammad Momani praised the joint effort on X, confirming that the three detained men were wounded after refusing to give up.

Karak serves as a center for Jordan's Christian minority, which accounts for approximately 300,000 people in a nation of 11.5 million. King Abdullah II sent condolences to the victims' families and stated that those responsible would face the harshest penalties. He also ordered a review of national security procedures for responding to attacks.

Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said authorities were examining the circumstances that lead young people to embrace violence. He added that anyone found to have participated in the attack would be held accountable. The statement from the directorate emphasized that terrorism has no place among the people of Jordan.