Jordanian security forces arrested three armed men suspected of a shooting attack at St George’s Greek Orthodox Church in the village of Hmoud, Karak governorate, last week. The incident left nine Christians dead and 34 others injured, officials said.
The Public Security Directorate (PSD) located the unnamed “terrorists” before dawn inside an abandoned house in Karak. They refused to surrender and opened fire on security forces, who returned fire and wounded all three. No security personnel were hurt in the shootout.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the Friday attack, which targeted a funeral at the church. King Abdullah II praised the forces for pursuing the suspects “to the very end” and vowed that “terrorists would not escape punishment.” Interior Minister Mazen al‑Faraya said authorities would hold accountable anyone involved and were “examining every factor that leads youth toward extremism.”
Verified CCTV footage showed three men approaching the church with guns and firing for about 15 minutes. A second video captured dead and wounded people on the ground amid chaotic scenes. One witness told BBC Arabic that the gunmen fled in a pick‑up truck, firing as they went.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, visited wounded survivors and condemned the attack as a “vile, cowardly, and bloody act.” He also led the funeral for eight of the victims, which was attended by thousands. The ninth victim was buried near Amman on Monday.
With Karak home to a sizeable Christian community in the Muslim‑majority kingdom, the incident has heightened concerns over security and extremism. Authorities are continuing investigations into the motives behind the attack and the identities of the perpetrators.
