DST News: Seven people were killed and 40 others injured when gunmen opened fire during a funeral gathering at a church in Jordan’s Karak governorate on Friday, according to officials. Authorities described the incident as a terrorist attack carried out by extremists.
Major General Abdallah al-Maaytah, head of Jordan’s Public Security Directorate, said at a press conference that most of the injured were still receiving medical treatment. Security forces were continuing their search for the attackers.
Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh said the shooting was carried out by extremists, although it remained unclear whether they had links to any known militant organisations inside or outside Jordan. No group had immediately claimed responsibility.
The attack took place at Hamoud Church, identified in subsequent reporting as Saint George’s Greek Orthodox Church, in the village of Hamoud in Karak governorate. Such incidents are rare in Jordan, a country generally regarded as relatively stable, although authorities have previously reported foiling attempted attacks by Islamist militants.
Gunmen Open Fire During Funeral
According to Jordan’s state-owned Al-Mamlaka television, security-camera footage showed three individuals firing towards the church from a nearby pavement before taking cover behind trees and a low wall. The footage then showed them running towards the church entrance. Reuters reported that it had verified the video using identifiable features of the church grounds.
Khaled Burqan, who attended the funeral, told Al-Mamlaka that dozens of people were present when the gunmen opened fire for several minutes.
Another witness, Ihab Ammareen, described scenes of panic and distress following the shooting, as people struggled to respond to the unfolding violence.
King Abdullah Vows Strong Response
Jordan’s King Abdullah visited Karak shortly after the attack and pledged a firm response against those responsible.
In a statement, the king said the perpetrators would face the harshest retaliation, emphasizing that the attack would not undermine national unity. He also rejected any attempt to divide Jordanians through violence.
Prime Minister Jafar Hassan condemned the incident in a post on X, describing it as the result of terrorist ideology and extremism. He said the government would not allow such violence to threaten the country’s social cohesion.
UN Condemns the Attack
The United Nations secretary-general also condemned the shooting, according to the initial Reuters report, adding to international concern over the attack on a religious gathering.
Jordan is a key US ally in the Middle East and a partner in efforts to counter militant Islamist groups. Although the country has maintained relative domestic stability, the incident has renewed concerns about the threat posed by extremist violence.
Authorities continued their investigation as the search for the attackers remained underway. Officials had not yet established whether the gunmen belonged to an organized group or acted with support from a wider network.
Source: Reuters
