Jordan has arrested three individuals for an armed attack on a church in which nine people lost their lives. The attack occurred on Friday in a small village named Hamoud, about 120 kilometers southwest of the capital, Amman, and also resulted in at least 34 other injuries. Jordanian security officials announced that these individuals, including two brothers and one of their husbands, were arrested after an exchange of fire with security forces.
Details of the Church Attack
The attack on Friday took place during a funeral service at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud. Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers opened fire on the crowd for several minutes. This attack has deeply concerned the Christian community in Jordan, prompting King Abdullah II to order security forces to respond decisively to the issue.
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Response from Security Officials
The Director General of Public Security in Jordan, General Obaidallah Al-Maaitah, stated at a press conference: "God willing, they only represent themselves." Additionally, the Minister of Interior, Mazen Al-Farawiya, emphasized that the country will not tolerate any form of extremist terrorism and that investigations are ongoing. He also stressed that there are currently no signs of these individuals being connected to other groups.
Jordanian security forces arrested these individuals after identifying them in an abandoned house. The individuals attacked the security forces at the time of their arrest, resulting in the security forces having to respond and detain them. In this exchange of fire, none of the security forces were harmed, and several weapons and ammunition were also found in their possession.
This type of violence in Jordan, which is recognized as a stable ally of the United States in the Middle East, is very rare. Jordan has previously thwarted several attempts by extremist groups. However, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the church so far.
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