Three Family Members Arrested After Three-Hour Gunfight in Karak

Jordanian police arrested three men on Monday morning following a three-hour armed confrontation in the village of al-Jadeeda. The suspects, who are from the same family, were hiding in an abandoned house when security forces launched a dawn raid. Authorities stated the men refused to surrender and opened fire, leading to a prolonged exchange of gunfire before all three were taken into custody.

Interior Minister Mazin al-Farrayeh announced the arrests on Monday. He confirmed that all three suspects are Jordanian citizens. Al-Farrayeh said the security services identified the individuals shortly after the attack and used every available method to locate them. A senior security official told reporters that the group consists of two brothers and a relative. No ties to other armed groups have been found so far.

The operation concluded after forces surrounded the suspects and neutralized their resistance. Al-Farrayeh described the engagement as fierce, noting that the suspects sustained severe injuries. One was critically wounded, according to the Public Security Directorate. Security forces recovered firearms and ammunition from the hideout, which is located about six minutes by car from the village of Hamoud where the initial attack occurred.

The arrests follow a deadly assault on St. George’s Church in Hamoud on Friday. Armed men stormed the compound during a funeral procession. The attack killed at least eight people and wounded 34 others. The victims were buried in Karak on Sunday in a ceremony attended by large crowds. Coffins draped in national flags were carried through the mourners under a heavy security presence.

King Abdullah II ordered a hard response to the incident, which he described as an attack on the Christian minority. In a post on social media, he called for an “iron fist” approach. During a National Security Council meeting on Saturday, he stated that the security and safety of Jordanians is a red line. He promised that the hand of justice would reach every terrorist involved.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan declared three days of national mourning starting Friday. Government and public institutions flew flags at half-mast. Al-Farrayeh said on Monday that investigations are ongoing. He pledged that everyone involved in the terrorist act will be taken to justice. He also said Jordan is determined to ensure such an attack does not happen again.

The Public Security Directorate did not name the suspects or identify a specific affiliation. Al-Farrayeh described the attackers as a group of extremists with no relationship to humanity. No group has claimed responsibility for the shooting. The directorate said the suspects had met their just fate and that terrorism has no place in the country.

Karak governorate is located 120 kilometers southwest of the capital, Amman. The region has a small Christian population, estimated at 2 percent to 3 percent of the national total. The attack on St. George’s Church was rare in scale. Security footage showed three individuals shooting outside the church and firing at men attempting to flee the building.