Police wound three suspects hiding in abandoned house after Jordan church attack

Jordanian security forces ended a multi-day manhunt on Monday by arresting three armed men hiding in an abandoned house in Al-Jadeeda village. The suspects, who had been on the run since a deadly shooting at a church, refused to surrender and engaged officers in a firefight that lasted roughly three hours. Police returned fire and wounded all three men before taking them into custody.

A Jordanian government source told Al Jazeera that the attackers sustained serious injuries during the confrontation. One suspect was in critical condition following the exchange of gunfire. The Public Security Directorate confirmed the arrests in a statement released through state media, noting that security personnel suffered no casualties during the operation. A search of the location revealed firearms and live ammunition left behind by the suspects.

The arrest concludes the immediate response to an attack that occurred on Friday in the village of Hamoud, located about 120 kilometers southwest of Amman. Three gunmen opened fire at a funeral service at a Greek Orthodox church. The Ministry of Health reported that eight people died and 40 were injured in the shooting. As of Monday, 27 victims remained hospitalized. The director of Prince Ali Military Hospital in Karak said one patient was in critical condition after undergoing surgery.

Government Communication Minister Mohammad Momani commended the security forces on X, describing the capture as a successful joint operation. He confirmed that the three suspects were injured and detained after they refused to surrender. The directorate stated that the suspects had met their just fate without naming any specific affiliated groups.

Karak governorate is home to a large portion of Jordan’s Christian minority, which numbers approximately 300,000 of the country’s 11.5 million residents. King Abdullah II has ordered a review of national security procedures for responding to attacks. He stated that those responsible would face the harshest penalties and offered condolences to the families of the victims.

Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said authorities are reviewing the circumstances that lead young people to embrace violence. He added that anyone found to have participated in the attack would be held accountable. The ministry is currently analyzing the evidence gathered from the site of the standoff and the hospital records of the injured suspects.