Jordan Detains Three Suspects After Dawn Raid Over Deadly Church Attack

Jordanian security forces have taken three suspects into custody in connection with Friday's attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Karak governorate, officials said on Monday. The assault killed at least eight people and wounded dozens more, in what authorities described as the work of "extremist terrorists".

Interior Minister Mazin al-Farrayeh said all three men are Jordanian nationals who were identified early in the investigation. According to the Public Security Directorate, they were hiding in an abandoned house in the village of al-Jadeeda. They refused to surrender and attacked officers, who returned fire before arresting them. A government source told Al Jazeera the exchange of gunfire lasted about three hours. The village is a six-minute drive from Hamoud, where the church stands.

A senior security official told journalists the suspects belong to one family and include two brothers. Authorities have found no ties to other groups. Al-Farrayeh said the men "put up fierce resistance" but were subdued and arrested with severe injuries. The directorate said one was critically hurt. State news agency Petra reported that firearms and ammunition were recovered from the hideout. Al-Farrayeh added that several locations had been raided and the search widened until the men were surrounded.

The authorities have not named the suspects or linked them to any armed group, and no organization has claimed responsibility. Al-Farrayeh said the attackers were "extremists" with "no relationship to humanity". At a press conference, he said the investigation continues and that everyone involved "will be taken to justice". He also said Jordan is "adamant that an attack like this doesn't take place again."

The attack struck St George's Church in Hamoud, a village known for its medieval-era castle. Armed men stormed the compound during a funeral procession on Friday, killing eight people and wounding 34. Security camera footage circulating online, including video broadcast by Al-Mamlaka TV, shows three people shooting outside the church and running toward its entrance. Other footage shows the gunmen firing on a group of men outside the building as they tried to flee.

King Abdullah II ordered security forces to respond with an "iron fist" to what was an unprecedented attack on the country's Christian minority. Speaking at a National Security Council meeting on Saturday, after meeting victims, he said the safety of Jordanians is "a red line" and that "the hand of justice will reach every terrorist." A day earlier he had promised the "harshest retaliation" possible. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan declared three days of national mourning beginning Friday, with flags at half-mast over government and public institutions.

In a post on X, al-Farrayeh said the killers had been apprehended and that officials are examining the circumstances that push young people toward extremism. He urged citizens to stay calm and reject violence, and said the tragedy would lead to practical measures to protect civilians.

The eight victims were buried in Karak on Sunday at a funeral that drew a huge crowd. Coffins draped in Jordanian flags were carried through mourners under heavy security. Karak has a significant Christian community in a Muslim-majority kingdom where Christians make up between 2 percent and 3 percent of the population. Among the victims shown in images on social media was Mohammad al-Qasous, a Christian.