Seven killed in Jordan church attack that wounded 40 at funeral

Violence erupted during a religious service in Jordan on Friday when gunmen opened fire inside a Greek Orthodox church. The attack took place in Karak, a town located about 90 kilometers south of the capital, Amman. Authorities confirmed that seven people died and 40 others were injured in the assault.

State television footage captured the moment the attackers approached the building. Two men carrying pistols walked toward the church and began shooting. A third man, holding a semiautomatic rifle, then stepped forward to add his fire. All three rushed into the building. Witness videos showed shattered glass and pools of blood on the church floor. One mourner inside, Dorgham Halasa, described the scene as a weird situation with heavy gunfire. He noted that the shooting started about 15 minutes after the funeral began. While some witnesses claimed they saw four attackers, security services have not confirmed the exact number.

The Jordanian government stated that unknown assailants carried out the attack. Officials said investigations were proceeding at full speed but did not specify if any suspects had been captured or killed. Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour reported that two of the wounded patients are in critical condition. In response to the tragedy, the kingdom declared three days of national mourning. King Abdullah II posted on X that Jordan would confront the terrorist act with the harshest penalties. He offered condolences to the families of the victims and wished the wounded a speedy recovery.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan held a security meeting in Karak on Friday evening. He described the attack as the product of terrorist ideology and blind extremism. Hassan stated that legal measures would be taken against those who seek to introduce extremism. The town of Karak has a minority Christian population and has experienced deadly violence before. In 2016, gunmen ambushed police in a series of attacks, including one at a Crusader castle. That incident left ten people dead, seven of them officers, and dozens wounded.

Regional leaders quickly condemned the shooting. Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb of Al-Azhar in Cairo called the event a heinous terrorist attack. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein phoned his Jordanian counterpart to express solidarity. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres labeled the attack especially heinous because it occurred during a funeral. His spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said the secretary-general called for all those responsible to be found and held to account.