Jordan Church Attack: Gunmen Kill Seven at Karak Funeral

Seven people were killed and 34 others wounded on Friday when gunmen attacked a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud, located in Karak governorate, southern Jordan. Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya confirmed the death toll and the number of injured at a press conference, identifying a group of extremists as the perpetrators. He noted that such an assault on a Christian gathering is rare in the majority Sunni Muslim kingdom.

The public security directorate stated that the assailants stormed the church compound before opening fire. They stepped out of a vehicle during the funeral procession. A manhunt for the three shooters is currently underway. Karak lies 110 miles south of Amman and is home to a notable Christian community.

Footage broadcast by state television Al-Mamlaka showed the sequence of events. Two attackers wearing casual clothes held pistols, while a third carried a long gun. They fired from a street entrance and then advanced into the compound. An eyewitness told Al-Mamlaka that the vehicle stopped and the gunmen fired continuously for five minutes before escaping. The witness estimated that 150 to 200 people were present in and around the church. Most of the victims were between the ages of 50 and 70.

Minister of Government Communications Mohammed Al-Momani said security forces are investigating the incident. King Abdullah II responded on social media, promising the "harshest retaliation" against those responsible. He wrote, "Every Jordanian life is precious, and we will strike with an iron fist against those who dare to threaten our nation."

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the only Christian head of state in the Arab world, condemned the shooting as a "heinous terrorist attack." A statement from his presidency said the violence "reaffirms once again that terrorism has no religion and no homeland, and its aim is to strike at coexistence and spread strife."

Karak has experienced deadly violence in recent years. In 2016, gunmen ambushed police in a series of attacks in the region, including at a Crusader castle popular with tourists. Ten people died in that incident, seven of them officers, and dozens were wounded. Jordanian security forces killed the attackers after a lengthy standoff.