Jordan church attack investigations took a new turn on Monday after security forces arrested three suspects in connection with a shooting that killed nine people and wounded 40 others. State television reported the arrests as authorities continued investigating the deadly incident. The attack occurred during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in Jordan’s Karak governorate on Friday.
According to Jordan’s Public Security Directorate, security forces located the three suspects early Monday inside an abandoned house in Karak. The area lies approximately 120 kilometres southwest of the capital, Amman. Authorities said the suspects had been hiding at the property before security personnel moved in to arrest them.
The directorate said the suspects refused to surrender and opened fire on security forces. Officers returned fire and arrested all three after they sustained injuries. No security personnel were injured during the operation. Authorities also recovered several firearms and ammunition from the suspects following their arrest.
The shooting took place in the village of Hamoud while mourners attended a funeral at the Greek Orthodox church. Witnesses said the gunfire continued for several minutes, causing panic among those present. The incident left nine people dead and 40 others injured, making it a serious security incident in a country where such violence is uncommon.
Jordanian authorities have described the attackers as extremist terrorists. However, officials have not identified the suspects’ affiliations or confirmed whether they belonged to a known militant organisation. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the attack, while no group has claimed responsibility so far.
Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said authorities were reviewing the factors that may have led young people towards extremism. He also warned that anyone found to have participated in the attack would be held accountable. Meanwhile, the Public Security Directorate stressed that terrorism had no place in Jordan and described the arrests as a significant development in the investigation.
King Abdullah has ordered security forces to respond firmly to the attack on Jordan’s Christian minority. The incident has raised concerns because Jordan is generally considered one of the more stable countries in the Middle East. Although authorities have previously reported foiling militant plots, the deadly church shooting has renewed attention on domestic security and efforts to prevent extremism.
