Jordanian Forces Detain Three Armed Men in Karak After Church Funeral Firefight
Suspects were wounded and captured in an abandoned house following an attack that killed nine people during a Greek Orthodox service.
By Claire Castillo ·
Jordanian security forces detained three armed suspects on Monday after a firefight linked to a deadly attack at a church in the Karak governorate.
The initial violence occurred on Friday during a funeral service at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud. The shooting took place roughly 120 kilometers southwest of Amman. Nine people died in the incident, and forty others sustained wounds. Witnesses reported that the gunfire continued for several minutes.
State television reported that authorities located the three suspects hiding in an abandoned house in Karak on Monday. The suspects refused to surrender and opened fire on security personnel. Forces returned fire and wounded all three men before taking them into custody. Officials said no security personnel were injured during the exchange. A number of firearms and ammunition were recovered from the suspects.
The Public Security Directorate described the attackers as extremist terrorists. No group has claimed responsibility for the Friday attack. King Abdullah ordered security forces to respond with an iron fist to the incident, which targeted the country's Christian minority. The directorate stated that the suspects met their just fate but did not name them or link them to a specific Islamist group.
Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said officials are examining the circumstances that lead young people toward extremism. He added that anyone found to have participated in the attack would be held accountable. Jordan has foiled several Islamist plots in recent years, making violence of this scale highly unusual for the stable Middle Eastern state.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
