Jordanian police wound three men hiding in abandoned house after church shooting
Security forces ended a three-hour standoff in Karak governorate, capturing the suspects responsible for killing eight people at a funeral on Friday.
By Sebastian Clarke ·
Jordanian police arrested three armed men on Monday after they refused to leave an abandoned house in the village of Al-Jadeeda. The suspects had been hiding there for days following a deadly attack on a church in the Karak governorate. Security forces located the group and opened fire when the men resisted surrendering. The confrontation lasted approximately three hours. All three suspects were injured and taken into custody. No police officers were hurt during the exchange. Petra News Agency reported that officials found firearms and live ammunition at the scene.
A government source told Al Jazeera that the attackers sustained serious injuries during the fight. One suspect was in critical condition. Government Communication Minister Mohammad Momani described the capture as a successful joint operation. He confirmed that the three men were injured and detained after the standoff. The Public Security Directorate stated that the suspects met their just fate. The directorate did not name any specific groups linked to the attackers.
The violence began on Friday when three gunmen opened fire at a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud. The village sits about 120 kilometers southwest of Amman. Jordan’s Ministry of Health said eight people died in the shooting. Another 40 were injured. As of Monday, 27 of the injured were still hospitalized. The director of Prince Ali Military Hospital in Karak said one patient remained in critical condition after surgery.
Karak is a major center for Jordan’s Christian minority. That group numbers about 300,000 people in a country of 11.5 million. King Abdullah II told families that those responsible would face the harshest penalties. He ordered a review of national security procedures for responding to attacks. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said authorities are examining why young people turn to violence. He added that anyone found to have participated in the attack would be held accountable.
Source: Al Jazeera
