Gunmen assaulted a Greek Orthodox church in southern Jordan during a funeral on Friday, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals, with many others injured.
This incident occurred in Karak governorate, roughly 110 miles south of Amman, as reported by the Associated Press (AP). The church is located in the village of Hamoud, according to International Christian Concern (ICC). Officials have confirmed the death toll at seven and reported around 40 people wounded, prompting Jordan to observe three days of national mourning.
Footage broadcast by Jordanian state television depicted two attackers armed with pistols as they approached the church. A third assailant, carrying a semiautomatic rifle, joined the shooting spree before the group forcefully entered the building. Witnesses recorded horrifying scenes of shattered glass and blood across the church’s interior.
Dorgham Halasa, one of the mourners present at the church, recounted that the gunfire erupted about 15 minutes into the service. “It was an unusual situation, and there was heavy gunfire,” Halasa stated. He didn’t see the assailants, although other accounts suggested there were four attackers. The agency couldn’t verify this number.
In a reaction to the incident, King Abdullah II stated on social media that the attack in Karak would face “the harshest retaliation.” He emphasized that those who think they can create divisions among Jordanians through violence are mistaken, emphasizing unity among all Jordanians. He expressed deep condolences to the families affected and wished a speedy recovery for the injured, asserting the value of every Jordanian life and affirming decisive action against those threatening the nation.
As for the wounded, two were reported to be in critical condition by Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour, while Director of Public Security Obeidallah Maaytah confirmed that 27 injured individuals were still receiving medical attention.
A government statement attributed the attack to unidentified assailants, mentioning that investigations are ongoing. The interior minister linked the shooting to extremist groups. Authorities are actively pursuing the assailants, according to The Times of Israel.
King Abdullah II also committed to addressing the terrorist act against Karak with severe consequences, while Prime Minister Jafar Hassan pointed to extremist ideologies as the root cause during a security meeting held in Karak.
Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar in Cairo, denounced the event as a “heinous terrorist attack.” Lebanese President Joseph Aoun echoed this sentiment, and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack, labeling it “especially heinous” and advocating for accountability.
Karak is home to one of the smaller Christian populations in Jordan. The area witnessed a series of attacks in 2016, including an ambush on police and a tourist castle that led to the deaths of ten, seven of whom were police officers. Security forces subsequently killed the attackers after a standoff.
