Jordan arrests three men after nine killed in church funeral

Jordanian security forces captured three armed men on Monday in connection with a Friday shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud. The attack occurred in Karak governorate, a region located approximately 120 kilometers southwest of Amman, the capital city.

The gunfire erupted during a funeral service, killing nine people and wounding 40 others. Witnesses described the exchange as lasting several minutes. State television reported that authorities tracked the suspects to an abandoned house where they were hiding.

According to the Public Security Directorate, the three men refused to surrender and opened fire on officers. Security forces returned the fire, wounding all three suspects before taking them into custody. Officials confirmed that no security personnel were injured during the encounter and that multiple firearms and ammunition were recovered from the scene.

The directorate characterized the incident as an act by extremist terrorists, although no group has officially claimed responsibility. The agency did not release the names of the suspects or detail any specific links to Islamist militant organizations. In a statement, the directorate declared that terrorism has no place in the country and that the suspects had met their just fate.

King Abdullah has ordered security forces to respond with an iron fist to the attack, which is rare in a country often viewed as stable in the Middle East. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya stated that authorities are investigating why young people were drawn to extremism. He added that anyone found to have participated in the attack would be held accountable.

The arrest of the three men marks the latest effort by Jordanian officials to maintain security amid occasional plots by Islamist militants. The country has broken up several such groups in recent years, and this incident has intensified scrutiny on the domestic security landscape.