Three-Hour Firefight Ends Jordan Church Attack Hunt

The three-hour gun battle in the village of al-Jadeeda ended Monday morning when Jordanian security forces captured three suspects linked to the deadly attack on a Greek Orthodox church. The standoff concluded after the suspects, who refused to surrender, were subdued and taken into custody with severe injuries.

Interior Minister Mazin al-Farrayeh confirmed on Monday that all three detainees are Jordanians from the same family, including two brothers. He stated that security services had identified the individuals early in the investigation and expanded the search scope until the final operation surrounded them in their hideout.

The suspects were hiding in an abandoned house located six minutes from Hamoud, the village where the church attack occurred. The Public Security Directorate reported that the men opened fire on approaching forces, prompting a return of fire that lasted approximately three hours. During the raid, authorities recovered firearms and ammunition from the location.

The operation followed the Friday attack on St. George’s Church in Hamoud, where armed men stormed the compound during a funeral procession. The assault left at least eight people dead and 34 others wounded. Security camera footage showed three individuals shooting outside the church before running toward the entrance, and later firing on a group of men attempting to flee the building.

King Abdullah II ordered security forces to respond with an iron fist to the attack, which he described as targeting the Christian minority community. At a National Security Council meeting on Saturday, the King declared that the security and safety of Jordanians is a red line and that the hand of justice would reach every terrorist. He had previously stated that the shooting would be met with the harshest retaliation possible.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan ordered three days of national mourning beginning Friday, with flags flown at half-mast over government and public institutions. The eight victims were buried in Karak on Sunday in a funeral that drew a large crowd and a significant security presence. Coffins draped in Jordanian flags were carried through the mourners.

Al-Farrayeh said investigations are ongoing and that everyone involved in the terrorist act will be taken to justice. He noted that the suspects met their just fate and emphasized that Jordan is adamant that such an attack does not happen again. The ministry also stated it is examining the circumstances that lead young people toward extremism.

No specific armed group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and authorities have not found ties between the suspects and other organizations. Al-Farrayeh described the perpetrators as a group of extremists with no relationship to humanity. The attack occurred in Karak governorate, which is home to a notable Christian minority in a country where Christians make up between 2 percent and 3 percent of the population.