Jordan Church Attack: Nine Dead and 40 Wounded

Nine people died and 40 were wounded when gunmen opened fire during a funeral service at a Greek Orthodox church in Hamoud, Jordan. The village sits in Karak governorate, roughly 120 kilometres southwest of the capital, Amman. Witnesses reported that the gunfire continued for several minutes.

State television reported that security forces arrested three armed suspects on Monday. The Public Security Directorate stated that officers tracked the men to an abandoned house in Karak. The suspects refused to surrender and returned fire. Security personnel shot back, wounding all three men before taking them into custody. No officers were injured in the exchange. Police recovered several firearms and ammunition from the suspects.

Jordanian authorities described the attackers as extremist terrorists. No group has claimed responsibility for the shooting. The directorate did not release the names of the suspects or identify specific ties to Islamist militant organizations. In a statement published on state media, the directorate said terrorism has no place among them. It added that the suspects met their just fate.

King Abdullah ordered security forces to respond with an iron fist to the attack. He is a key United States partner in the campaign against Islamist militant groups. The attack is rare for Jordan, a country often viewed as stable in the Middle East. Officials have broken up several Islamist militant plots in previous years.

Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said authorities are examining the circumstances that drove young people toward extremism. He stated that anyone found to have taken part in the attack would be held accountable.