Karak Church Raid: Three Suspects Hospitalized After Dawn Shootout

Jordanian authorities closed their investigation into a deadly church attack by detaining the three suspects responsible on Monday morning. The arrests follow a coordinated raid in the Karak governorate, south of the capital Amman, where security forces engaged the men at dawn.

The initial incident occurred on Friday in the village of Hammoud. Three individuals opened fire while a funeral service was underway at a Greek Orthodox church. Local officials report that the attack targeted the congregation, which includes a minority Christian population in the region. No armed group has publicly claimed responsibility for the shooting.

Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya confirmed the arrests to the state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka. He stated that security services had identified the suspects early in the investigation. Al-Faraya described the confrontation as fierce, noting that the men offered strong resistance before being subdued. He characterized the incident as a terrorist act that has now been addressed by the capture of its perpetrators.

All three suspects were wounded during the shootout and were taken into custody in a condition described as severe injuries. No members of the security forces were hurt during the operation. The Public Security Directorate issued a statement asserting that terrorism has no place in the country and that the suspects have met their just fate.

King Abdullah II directed authorities to respond with an iron fist against those he described as the outlaws of Islam. The monarch urged the government to protect the unity of the Jordanian people against those seeking to undermine it. The Public Security Directorate did not name the suspects or point to specific links with Islamist militant groups in its official release.