Seven killed, 34 wounded as gunmen storm Jordan church during funeral

Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya announced that at least seven people were killed and 34 others injured when gunmen attacked a Greek Orthodox church in southern Jordan on Friday. The assault occurred in the village of Hammoud, located in the Karak governorate, and interrupted a funeral procession.

Al-Faraya stated at a press conference that a group of extremists was responsible for the violence. He described the incident as a rare assault on the Christian minority in the majority Sunni Muslim kingdom. The public security directorate reported that the assailants exited a vehicle and stormed the church compound before opening fire. A manhunt for the perpetrators is currently underway.

Footage from the state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka showed three gunmen in casual clothing entering the scene. Two held pistols, while a third carried a long gun. They fired from a street entrance and advanced toward the interior of the building. An eyewitness told Al-Mamlaka that the attackers fired without pause for five minutes before escaping in their vehicle.

The same witness estimated that between 150 and 200 mourners were inside and around the church at the time of the shooting. The witness noted that most of the victims were elderly, with ages ranging from 50 to 70. Karak, a region with a notable Christian population, sits 110 miles south of the capital, Amman.

King Abdullah II reacted to the news on social media, promising the harshest retaliation against those responsible. He declared that every Jordanian life is precious and that the nation would strike with an iron fist against those threatening its stability. Minister of Government Communications Mohammed Al-Momani confirmed that security forces are actively investigating the attack.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the event as a heinous terrorist attack. In a statement from the presidency, Aoun, the only Christian head of state in the Arab world, said the incident reaffirms that terrorism has no religion or homeland. He added that the goal of such acts is to strike at coexistence and spread strife.

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