Jordan captures three family members in three-hour gun battle

Three Jordanian men were arrested on Monday morning after a three-hour firefight with security forces in the village of al-Jadeeda. The suspects, who are brothers and relatives, were hiding in an abandoned house located about six minutes by car from the site of Friday’s church attack. They were taken into custody injured, with one person in critical condition.

Interior Minister Mazin al-Farrayeh told journalists that the men were identified early in the investigation. He stated that security services used every available method to catch them. The Public Security Directorate reported that the suspects refused to surrender and opened fire on officers who returned the shots. State news agency Petra said authorities recovered firearms and ammunition from the hideout.

The arrests follow an attack on St George’s Church in the nearby village of Hamoud on Friday. Armed men entered the compound during a funeral procession, killing eight people and wounding 34 others. King Abdullah II called the incident an unprecedented attack on the Christian minority and ordered security forces to respond with an iron fist.

Al-Farrayeh described the attackers as extremist terrorists with no ties to humanity. He said the investigation continues and that all participants will face justice. The ministry has not named the suspects or linked them to specific armed groups. No organization has claimed responsibility for the shooting yet.

The attack occurred in Karak governorate, roughly 120 kilometers southwest of Amman. The region hosts a significant Christian community in a country where Christians make up 2 to 3 percent of the population. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan ordered three days of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast on government buildings.

Video footage from the scene showed three individuals shooting outside the church before running toward the entrance. Another clip captured the attackers firing on a group of men attempting to flee. Eight victims were buried in Karak on Sunday. Their coffins were covered in national flags and carried through a large crowd under heavy security.