Jordan says its military struck 'militant hideouts' in Syria after deadly church attack
Jordan's air force struck militant hideouts in southern Syria Monday after determining suspects linked to last week's deadly church attack were hiding there.
The assault on a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church left nine dead and 40 injured. Jordanian forces said the attack was linked to 'terrorist groups' hiding in Syria. The strikes on southeastern Syria were carried out in coordination with Damascus, though Syria claimed it had launched an investigation into the Jordanian attacks.
Syria's state news agency reported that at least five civilians, including women and children, were killed as a result of the strikes, according to a health official. This account differs from Jordan's description of targeting militant hideouts.
Arrests in Karak
Jordanian security forces arrested three men during a pre-dawn raid on their hideout in the Karak governorate Monday morning. The operation followed a dawn shootout with the armed men discovered hiding in an abandoned house, located 120 kilometers southwest of the capital, Amman.
The security services have fulfilled their duties, resulting in the capture of those who carried out this terrorist act.
All three suspects were wounded in the operation, but Jordanian security forces reported no casualties. Minister Al-Faraya stated there were 'three individuals involved' who were 'identified early on' and that security services had 'employed all the means at their disposal to apprehend them.'
King's Response
Jordan's King Abdullah II called for an 'iron fist' response against anyone attempting to undermine Jordanian unity following the attacks. He vowed that terrorists would not escape punishment and that no proponent of ideologies dividing Jordanians would be tolerated.
A relative of victims, who survived the attack, told Al-Mamlaka that the arrests 'eased our grief — and the grief of the Jordanian people.' No group has claimed responsibility for Friday's attack, and Jordan's authorities haven't publicly identified possible affiliations with any militant groups.
Attacks on Christian minorities are rare in Jordan, a relatively stable Middle Eastern state and close U.S. ally that maintains diplomatic and military relations with neighboring Israel. The investigation continues as Jordan seeks to prevent further incidents.
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