Jordanian security forces conducted a dawn raid in the Karak governorate on Monday, capturing three men suspected of carrying out a massacre at a Greek Orthodox church that left nine people dead last week. The arrests followed a high-stakes shootout in which all three suspects were wounded by gunfire before being taken into custody.
No members of the security forces were injured during the operation, which took place in an area south of Jordan’s capital, Amman. According to the Public Security Directorate, the suspects put up fierce resistance when confronted by tactical units. The men are currently being treated for severe injuries sustained during the dawn confrontation.
The search for the suspects began in the immediate aftermath of a mass shooting on Friday, October 23, 2026. The attack targeted Saint George’s Greek Orthodox Church in the village of Hammoud, located within the Karak governorate. Gunmen opened fire on a crowd of mourners during a funeral service, turning a community gathering into a scene of carnage. In addition to the nine fatalities, more than two dozen people were wounded in the assault. The village of Hammoud is known for its minority Christian population, a community that has long coexisted peacefully in the region.
Jordan’s Interior Minister, Mazen Al-Faraya, confirmed that the three men arrested were the primary individuals responsible for the shooting. He stated that the suspects were identified early in the investigation, allowing security services to deploy all available resources to track them down. While the minister characterized the event as a “terrorist act,” the government has not yet released the names of the suspects or detailed any potential affiliations with specific militant organizations.
The Public Security Directorate issued a stern statement following the raid, asserting that terrorism has no place in the kingdom and that the perpetrators had met their “just fate.” This sentiment was echoed by King Abdullah II, who directed authorities to respond with an “iron fist” against those he termed the outlaws of Islam. The monarch emphasized that any attempt to undermine the unity of the Jordanian people or the peaceful fabric of the nation would be met with swift and severe action.
On Sunday, October 25, the local community held a massive funeral for the victims of the attack, with an estimated 3,000 people in attendance. The high turnout underscored the national shock over the rare targeting of a house of worship. As of Monday, no armed groups have claimed responsibility for the incident, and authorities have not yet specified a motive for the shooting. The investigation remains active as officials seek to determine if the three suspects acted independently or were part of a larger network.
