Jordan captures three gunmen after church funeral massacre

Nine people died and forty others were wounded during a shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud, located roughly 120 kilometers southwest of Amman. The violence erupted on Friday during a funeral service in the Karak governorate. Witnesses described the gunfire as lasting for several minutes before the attackers fled the scene.

Jordanian security forces moved to capture the perpetrators on the following Monday. State television reported that authorities located three armed men hiding inside an abandoned house in Karak. The suspects refused to surrender and opened fire on the security team, prompting a return of force. All three men sustained wounds during the exchange and were subsequently taken into custody. Officials confirmed that no security personnel were injured and that multiple firearms and ammunition were recovered from the group.

The Public Security Directorate characterized the attackers as extremist terrorists, though no group has formally claimed responsibility for the event. The directorate released a statement asserting that the suspects had met their just fate. King Abdullah has ordered an iron fist response to the incident, which is considered a rare display of violence against the country's Christian minority in the relatively stable region.

Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya stated that officials are examining the factors driving young people toward extremism. He added that anyone found to have participated in the attack would be held accountable for their actions. The directorate did not publicly name the suspects or link them to a specific Islamist organization, despite previous foiled plots in the region.

The investigation continues as authorities process the detained individuals. The next scheduled public update on the case was not specified in the initial reports.