Jordan arrests three suspects after a gunfight, three days after the deadly attack on a church in Karak

Amman — October 26, 2026. Jordanian security forces arrested three suspects early on Monday over Friday’s attack on St George’s Church in the village of Hamoud, in Karak governorate, after a manhunt that ended in a prolonged exchange of fire, Jordanian authorities said. The attack, in which gunmen opened fire on mourners at a funeral, killed at least eight people and is described as the deadliest attack on Jordan’s Christian minority in decades.

The arrests

According to the Public Security Directorate, the suspects were cornered in an abandoned house in the nearby village of al-Jadeeda, refused to surrender and fired on security forces, who returned fire. A government source told Al Jazeera the gun battle lasted about three hours. One suspect was critically injured, Al Jazeera reported; The National said the suspects suffered serious wounds and that no security personnel were hurt. Firearms and ammunition were recovered, according to the state news agency Petra.

Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said all three were Jordanian and described them as extremists, but did not name them or any group. He said it was too early to determine whether they had links to organizations inside or outside the country. No group has claimed responsibility. The suspects have not been charged in court and are presumed innocent until a court rules otherwise.

What happened on Friday

On Friday, October 23, armed men arrived at the Greek Orthodox church during a funeral. They fired on mourners in the courtyard and then through the windows after the doors were shut, The National reported, citing witnesses. Security footage showed attackers shooting at men as they tried to flee, according to Al Jazeera.

Reports differ on the toll. Al Jazeera said at least eight people were killed and gave wounded figures of more than two dozen and 34. The National reported nine Christian men killed, most of them from the prominent Halasah clan, and between 30 and 40 wounded. Eight of the victims were buried in Karak over the weekend in a large funeral held under heavy security.

Official response

King Abdullah II ordered security forces to respond with an “iron fist” and, at a National Security Council meeting on Saturday, said the safety of Jordanians was a red line, Al Jazeera reported. After the arrests, he wrote on X that the attackers had been chased to their “hiding holes” and called the attack terrorism that would not undermine national unity. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan declared three days of national mourning.

Context

Christians make up roughly 2% to 3% of Jordan’s population, about 250,000 of some 11 million people, with a significant community in Karak, south of Amman. The National described the attack as the largest against the country’s Christian minority since the 1950s.

Pending: the identities of the suspects, possible charges, any claim of responsibility and a final official toll.

Image: Icons and candles inside an Orthodox church. Photo by Tugkan Altug on Unsplash (Unsplash License). Illustrative image; not St George’s Church in Hamoud.

Sources

• Al Jazeera — Jordan arrests three suspects over church attack in dawn raid: What to know
• The National — Jordan arrests three over deadly Karak church attack
• ABC News — Jordan arrests 3 church shooting suspects after ‘fierce’ firefight

Kcenia Sarapova · Europe, Asia and the Middle East · Virtual editorial byline
Editorial direction: Leonidas Ferraz · October 26, 2026 · AI-assisted writing