Jordan Strikes Militants in Syria Linked to Church Shooting

Jordan has carried out airstrikes against suspected militant groups in Syria following a deadly attack on a Greek Orthodox church in the Jordanian city of Karak.

The attack on Friday killed nine people and injured more than 20 others. Jordanian state media reported that the airstrikes took place on Monday in response to the violence.

According to Jordanian media, the military operation killed or injured several members of the targeted groups and destroyed a number of their vehicles. Officials did not name the groups or reveal the exact locations of the strikes.

However, Syrian state television reported possible civilian casualties after Jordanian aircraft struck areas south of the village of al-Masmiyah in Syria’s southern Daraa province.

Three Suspects Arrested

Jordanian authorities arrested three men on Monday in connection with the church attack. All three were wounded during an early-morning gunfight before they were taken into custody.

The men were identified as brothers Hazzah Zaidan Mohammad and Mishal Zaidan Mohammad, along with their brother-in-law, Ahmad Sami Hussein. All three are Jordanian citizens and were arrested in Karak, south of the capital, Amman.

The attack happened during a funeral at the Greek Orthodox church on Friday. Karak has a small Christian community, and the shooting shocked people across the country.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, and investigators had not established a clear motive.

Jordan’s Public Security Directorate described the suspects as “takfiri,” a term often used for Sunni Muslim extremists who accuse other Muslims of abandoning their faith. However, officials said the men did not appear to belong to an organized group.

“They only represent themselves,” Major General Obaidallah Abd Rabbo Al-Maayta said at a news conference.

He added that security forces found a large amount of ammunition inside an abandoned house where the suspects were caught.

Jordanian Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya said the attack appeared to be driven by extremist beliefs.

He warned that such thinking could lead to more violence if it was not addressed.

King Promises Tough Action

Jordan declared three days of national mourning after the attack to honor the victims.

King Abdullah II ordered authorities to take strong action against those responsible. He said the country would not tolerate extremist ideas or attempts to divide Jordanian society.

The king also promised that those behind the attack would face punishment.

The government has described the shooting as a serious threat to the country’s peace and unity.

Families Welcome the Arrests

The arrests brought some comfort to the families of those killed, although their grief remains deep.

Khaled al-Borqan, a survivor of the attack who lost three relatives, told Jordan’s Al-Mamlaka television that the arrests had eased some of the pain felt by the victims’ families and the wider public.

Fares Halaseh, another survivor and the uncle of one victim, also said the news had brought some relief.

But he stressed that the suffering caused by the attack would not quickly disappear.

The investigation is continuing as Jordan responds to the killings and seeks to prevent further violence.