Three-Hour Gun Battle Ends After Suspects Captured in Karak

Jordanian security forces captured three suspects on Monday morning after a three-hour firefight in the village of al-Jadeeda, concluding the search for men linked to a deadly church attack.

The operation followed a Friday assault on St. George’s Church in the nearby village of Hamoud. During a funeral procession, armed men stormed the compound, killing eight people and wounding 34 others. The incident occurred in Karak governorate, approximately 120 kilometers southwest of Amman. Authorities initially described the perpetrators as extremist terrorists. On Saturday, King Abdullah II convened the National Security Council, declaring that the safety of Jordanians is a red line and that the hand of justice will reach every terrorist. He previously stated that the shooting would be met with the harshest retaliation. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan ordered three days of national mourning, with flags flown at half-mast over government institutions. On Sunday, the eight victims were buried in Karak in a ceremony attended by a large crowd. Their coffins were draped with Jordanian flags as they were carried through the mourners.

On Monday, Interior Minister Mazin al-Farrayeh announced that all three suspects were Jordanian family members, including two brothers. He stated they were identified early in the investigation and that security services used all available means to apprehend them. The suspects were hiding in an abandoned house in al-Jadeeda, a six-minute drive from the church site. The Public Security Directorate reported that the men refused to surrender and opened fire on approaching forces, resulting in a sustained exchange. A government source told Al Jazeera the gun battle lasted about three hours. One suspect was critically injured, and all three sustained severe wounds during the raid. Security forces recovered firearms and ammunition at the hideout. A senior security official told journalists that authorities had not found ties between the suspects and other groups. Al-Farrayeh said many locations were raided and the search scope expanded until the suspects were surrounded. He noted that everyone involved in the act will be taken to justice and that Jordan is adamant such an attack does not happen again. The directorate stated in a statement that terrorism has no place among them and that the suspects had met their just fate. Al-Farrayeh also called for citizens to remain calm and said practical measures to protect civilians will follow. No group has claimed responsibility for the Friday attack, and the suspects have not been publicly named.

The next phase of the investigation involves examining the circumstances that led the men toward extremism. Authorities are holding the suspects in custody to determine their specific roles in the attack. The public will await the formal release of the suspects' names and any evidence of external connections. The security presence in Karak remains elevated as officials monitor the region for further developments.