Jordan Detains Three Suspects in Karak Church Attack

Jordanian authorities arrested three men on Monday in connection with a shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud. The suspects were taken into custody after a dawn shootout in Karak governorate, located south of the capital, Amman. All three men sustained injuries during the operation, while no members of the security forces were hurt.

The initial attack occurred on Friday during a funeral service at the church. Officials reported that three individuals participated in the shooting. Karak is home to a small Christian minority, and the incident has drawn national attention due to the location and the timing of the service.

Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya confirmed that the three detained men were the ones responsible for the incident. Speaking to the state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka, he stated that security services fulfilled their duties by capturing those who carried out the act. Al-Faraya described the suspects as having put up fierce resistance before being subdued and taken into custody with severe injuries. He added that the men were identified early on after the incident and that security services used all available means to apprehend them.

No group has claimed responsibility for the shooting, and no armed organization has been publicly accused of carrying out the attack. The Public Security Directorate stated that terrorism has no place among them and that the men met their just fate. Reuters noted that the directorate did not name the suspects or point to any specific links to Islamist militant groups.

King Abdullah II directed authorities to respond with an iron fist against those he described as the outlaws of Islam. The monarch also addressed anyone seeking to undermine the unity of the Jordanian people.