Karak Church Attack: Jordan Detains Three Armed Men

Jordanian authorities detained three armed men on Monday following a shootout linked to a deadly attack on a church in the southern region.

The violence began on Friday during a funeral service at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud, located in Karak governorate. The site sits approximately 120 kilometers southwest of Amman. Nine people died in the incident, and 40 others sustained injuries. Witnesses described the gunfire as lasting several minutes.

State television reported that the three suspects were hiding in an abandoned house in Karak. They refused to surrender and opened fire on security personnel during the raid. All three men were wounded and taken into custody. Officials said no members of the security force were hurt during the exchange. Law enforcement recovered multiple firearms and ammunition from the group.

The Public Security Directorate labeled the attackers as extremist terrorists but did not name them or link them to a specific Islamist group. No organization has formally claimed responsibility for the attack. King Abdullah ordered a firm response to the violence against the country's Christian minority. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya stated that officials are reviewing why young people are drawn to extremism and promised accountability for those involved.

Jordan has previously thwarted several Islamist plots, making this type of violence rare in the region. The directorate emphasized that terrorism has no place in the country and declared that the suspects have met their just fate.