Jordan Hunts Three After Karak Church Slaying
Eight people died and 40 were wounded when gunmen opened fire during a funeral in the south, prompting a national security review.
By Karim Graham ·
Security forces in Jordan are pursuing three unidentified men who opened fire at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud on Friday afternoon. The Ministry of Health confirmed eight deaths and dozens of injuries resulting from the assault, which officials have classified as an act of terror.
Survivors described an explosion shortly after the funeral service began. Two attackers arrived by vehicle, joined by a third man carrying a semi-automatic rifle. They entered the church and fired for several minutes. Nasser al-Burqan, a lawyer who survived, stated that one gunman fired a handgun from a distance of about two meters. His son, who was also inside, suffered a leg wound and is receiving treatment in a hospital.
Petra news agency reported that seven victims died at the scene, while a woman succumbed to her injuries hours later. Of the 40 people wounded, 27 remain hospitalized. The director of Prince Ali Military Hospital in Karak noted that one patient is in critical condition following surgery. Tarek Ammarin, who visited an injured relative, characterized the event as a massacre in every sense of the word.
King Abdullah II ordered a review of security procedures for responding to terrorist attacks. He pledged that those responsible would face the harshest penalties. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan declared three days of mourning, with flags flown at half-mast over government buildings. He attributed the violence to terrorist ideology and blind extremism. Interior Minister Mazin Al-Farrayeh blamed a group of extremists but did not name a specific organization.
The attack occurred in Karak governorate, located 120 kilometers south of Amman. The region is home to a large portion of Jordan’s approximately 300,000 Christians, out of a national population of 11.5 million. State media footage showed the three suspects shooting outside the church and firing at a group of men attempting to flee. The motive remains unclear, and the attackers have not been identified by name.
International leaders have offered condolences, with statements coming from Azerbaijan, Iraq, Poland, Palestine, and Qatar. Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar in Cairo, described the incident as a heinous terrorist attack. The United States embassy in Jordan also extended its sympathies to the victims and survivors.
Violence at Christian sites in Jordan is rare. In 2016, the Islamic State group conducted a series of attacks in the Karak area. A siege on a Crusader-era castle killed ten people, including seven police officers and a Canadian tourist. Security forces killed the four attackers after a prolonged standoff.
Source: Al Jazeera
