Jordanian police detain three gunmen after funeral shooting kills nine in Karak

Nine people died and 40 were wounded when gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud on Friday. The village lies in Karak governorate, roughly 120 kilometres southwest of Amman, and witnesses reported the gunfire lasted for several minutes.

Security forces arrested three armed suspects on Monday after tracking them to an abandoned house in Karak. The men refused to surrender and fired on officers, who returned fire and wounded all three before taking them into custody. The Public Security Directorate stated that no security personnel were hurt during the exchange and that officers recovered multiple firearms and ammunition from the suspects.

Authorities have labeled the attackers as extremist terrorists, though no group has officially claimed responsibility. The directorate did not release the names of the suspects or identify specific ties to Islamist militant organizations. In a statement, the directorate noted that terrorism has no place among the people and that the suspects had met their just fate.

King Abdullah ordered security forces to respond with an iron fist to the rare assault on Jordan's Christian minority. The attack is unusual in a country considered one of the more stable in the Middle East, although officials have previously broken up several Islamist militant plots.

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