Three Armed Men Wounded in Capture After Karak Church Massacre

Jordanian security forces captured three armed men on Monday after a three-hour firefight in the Karak governorate. The suspects, who were hiding in an abandoned house in the village of Al-Jadeeda, were wounded during the confrontation.

The Public Security Directorate stated that the men refused to surrender and opened fire on officers. Force returned fire, wounding all three suspects before taking them into custody. A government source described the injuries as serious, noting that one suspect is in critical condition. No security personnel were injured.

Authorities recovered firearms and live ammunition from the scene. The directorate released a statement saying the suspects had met their just fate, though it did not name a specific group. The agency also declared that terrorism has no place among the Jordanian people.

Government Communication Minister Mohammad Momani praised the joint operation on social media. He confirmed that all three suspects were injured and detained following the fighting. This capture ends a multi-day search for the attackers involved in the Friday incident.

On Friday, three gunmen opened fire at a funeral inside a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud. The attack, located about 120 kilometers southwest of Amman, killed eight people and injured 40, according to the Ministry of Health. As of Monday, 27 of the injured were still hospitalized. The director of Prince Ali Military Hospital in Karak reported that one patient remains in critical condition following surgery.

Karak is a major center for Jordan’s Christian minority, a group that numbers roughly 300,000 in a country of 11.5 million. King Abdullah II vowed that those responsible would face the harshest penalties. He ordered a review of national security procedures for responding to attacks. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said authorities are examining why young people turn to violence and will hold all participants accountable.

The capture marks the latest development in the response to the deadliest attack on a place of worship in Jordan in recent years. The suspects are now in custody while medical staff treat their injuries.