Jordanian police wound three gunmen after three-hour standoff in Karak

Jordanian security forces arrested three armed men on Monday after a three-hour standoff in the village of Al-Jadeeda.

The suspects were located hiding in an abandoned house in Karak governorate. They refused to surrender and exchanged fire with officers, who wounded all three men before taking them into custody, according to the Public Security Directorate.

A government source stated that the attackers sustained serious injuries during the confrontation. One suspect is in critical condition. Petra News Agency reported that no security personnel were killed, and officers recovered firearms and live ammunition from the site.

The arrests conclude a search for the gunmen who opened fire at a Greek Orthodox church funeral in the village of Hamoud on Friday. The shooting killed eight people and injured 40, per the Ministry of Health. As of Monday, 27 injured victims remained hospitalized. The director of Prince Ali Military Hospital in Karak confirmed that one patient was in critical condition following surgery.

Government Communication Minister Mohammad Momani described the capture as a successful joint operation in a statement posted on X. He confirmed that the three suspects were injured and detained after refusing to surrender. The Public Security Directorate issued a statement saying terrorism has no place in Jordan and that the suspects met their just fate, though officials did not name a specific group.

Karak governorate is home to a large portion of Jordan's Christian minority, which numbers approximately 300,000 out of a national population of 11.5 million. King Abdullah II ordered a review of security procedures for responding to attacks and pledged that those responsible would face the harshest penalties.

Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said authorities are examining the factors that lead young people to embrace violence. He added that anyone found to have participated in the attack would be held accountable.