Three Suspects Arrested After Three-Hour Gun Battle in Karak

Jordanian security forces arrested three suspects in a three-hour gun battle on Monday morning in the village of al-Jadeeda. The raid concluded the search for the men responsible for the deadly attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Karak governorate earlier this week. All three suspects are members of the same family, including two brothers, according to a senior security official. They were hiding in an abandoned house in al-Jadeeda, which is a six-minute drive from the site of the attack in the nearby village of Hamoud.

The Public Security Directorate reported that the suspects refused to surrender and opened fire on the approaching security forces. The officers returned fire, resulting in a sustained exchange that lasted approximately three hours. Security forces recovered firearms and ammunition from the hideout. One suspect was critically injured during the confrontation, while the others sustained severe wounds. The directorate stated that the suspects had met their just fate. Interior Minister Mazin al-Farrayeh confirmed the arrests on Monday, noting that the suspects were identified early in the investigation. He said security services employed all available means to apprehend them after raiding multiple locations and expanding the search scope until the suspects were surrounded.

The arrest follows the attack on St. George’s Church in Hamoud, which occurred on Friday. Armed men stormed the church compound during a funeral procession. The assault killed eight people and wounded 34 others. This was a rare attack on the Christian minority in the Muslim-majority kingdom, where Christians make up between two and three percent of the population. Security camera footage broadcast by Al-Mamlaka TV showed three individuals shooting outside the church and running toward the entrance. Other video captured the attackers firing on a group of men outside the building who were attempting to flee. St. George’s Church is known for its proximity to a medieval-era castle.

King Abdullah II ordered security forces to respond with an iron fist to the attack. During a National Security Council meeting on Saturday, the King stated that the security and safety of Jordanians are a red line and that the hand of justice will reach every terrorist. He had previously said on Friday that the shooting would be met with the harshest retaliation possible. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan ordered three days of national mourning, beginning on Friday. Flags were flown at half-mast over government and public institutions during this period. Eight victims were laid to rest in Karak on Sunday. Their coffins, draped with Jordanian flags, were carried through a large crowd of mourners under a heavy security presence. Social media images identified one of the victims as Mohammad al-Qasous, a Christian.

Interior Minister al-Farrayeh described the perpetrators as extremists with no relationship to humanity. He stated that investigations are ongoing and that everyone part of the terrorist act will be taken to justice. The minister said Jordan is adamant that an attack like this does not happen again. He urged citizens to remain calm and said the tragedy would lead to practical measures to protect civilians. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and authorities have not found ties between the suspects and other armed groups. The Public Security Directorate did not publicly name the suspects or identify specific affiliations. Al-Farrayeh posted on X on Monday that the government is examining the circumstances that lead young people toward extremism and will hold everyone involved accountable.