Three Men Held in Karak Church Case

Three Jordanian men are in custody following a three-hour standoff with police in the village of al-Jadeeda, officials announced on Monday. The arrests connect them to Friday's assault on St George's Church in Hamoud, which left eight people dead and 34 others injured.

Interior Minister Mazin al-Farrayeh stated that the suspects are relatives, including two brothers, who were hiding in an abandoned house. He said the men resisted arrest and were taken into custody with severe injuries, one of whom is critically wounded. Security forces recovered firearms and ammunition from the hideout. A government source confirmed the gunfire exchange lasted approximately three hours. The village of al-Jadeeda is located six minutes by car from Hamoud.

Authorities have not identified the men or linked them to any specific armed group. No organization has claimed responsibility for the attack. Al-Farrayeh described the attackers as extremists with no ties to other factions. He noted that security forces raided several locations before surrounding the final hideout.

The initial attack occurred during a funeral procession on Friday. Armed men entered the church compound and opened fire. Security camera footage shows three individuals shooting outside the building and firing on people attempting to flee. King Abdullah II ordered a strong response to the attack, calling the safety of Jordan's Christian minority a red line. He stated that justice would reach every terrorist involved.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan declared three days of national mourning following the incident. Flags at government buildings were lowered to half-mast. The eight victims were buried in Karak on Sunday in a ceremony attended by a large crowd. Their coffins were draped in Jordanian flags.

Al-Farrayeh said officials are reviewing the factors that drive young people toward extremism. He urged citizens to remain calm and reject violence. The ministry stated that the tragedy will lead to practical measures to protect civilians. The investigation into the attack remains open.

Karak has a notable Christian community within the Muslim-majority kingdom, where Christians comprise between 2% and 3% of the population. Social media images showed among the victims Mohammad al-Qasous, a Christian resident of the area.