Jordan security forces capture three suspects in church attack
Jordanian police arrested three armed suspects after a three-hour confrontation in Karak, where gunmen had killed eight people at a church funeral.
Jordanian security forces located three armed suspects hiding in an abandoned house in the village of Al-Jadeeda, Karak governorate, on Monday, ending a multi-day manhunt for the gunmen who killed eight worshippers and wounded dozens at a Greek Orthodox church funeral. The suspects refused to surrender and opened fire on the officers, who returned fire and wounded all three before taking them into custody, a statement from the Public Security Directorate said. A government source told Al Jazeera that the suspects sustained serious injuries, with one remaining in critical condition after the three-hour clash.
No security personnel were reported injured, and a search of the house uncovered firearms and live ammunition, according to Petra News Agency. Government Communication Minister Mohammad Momani praised the operation on X, describing it as a successful joint effort and confirming that the three suspects were detained after being injured.
The attack, which occurred on Friday at a funeral in the village of Hamoud, left eight dead and 40 injured, according to the Ministry of Health. Twenty-seven of the wounded remained hospitalized on Monday, with one patient in critical condition after surgery at Prince Ali Military Hospital.
King Abdullah II pledged that those responsible would face the harshest penalties and ordered a review of security procedures. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said authorities would examine the factors that lead young people to adopt violence and hold accountable anyone involved in the attack.