Gunmen kill seven and wound 34 at funeral in Greek Orthodox church in Jordan’s Karak
Jordanian authorities said gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a church in the village of Hmoud, killing seven people and wounding 34 others. No group has claimed responsibility, and a manhunt is underway.
AMMAN, Jordan — Gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in southern Jordan on Friday, killing seven people and wounding 34 others, Jordanian authorities said, according to the Associated Press.
The shooting took place at a church in the village of Hmoud, in the Karak governorate, about 110 miles south of the capital, Amman.
Footage broadcast on Jordanian state television appears to show two gunmen with pistols approaching the church and firing shots. A third man, who appears to be carrying a semiautomatic rifle, then opens fire, and all three run toward the church, the AP reported.
A government statement said the attack was carried out by “unknown assailants” but did not say whether any gunmen had been captured or killed. The statement said investigations are underway at full speed.
What witnesses described
Khaled Burqan, one of the mourners, told the state broadcaster al-Mamlaka that two men, one armed with a rifle and the other with a pistol, kept firing at the congregation for several minutes. One witness told the AFP news agency that between 150 and 200 people were inside at the time.
Security camera footage verified by the BBC appears to show three armed men walking from a road toward the church.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani called it “heinous” and said security forces had been sent to the area, where a manhunt for the attackers is underway.
Jordan’s director of public security, Maj. Gen. Obeidallah Maaytah, said at a news conference that 27 of the wounded were still being treated.
King Abdullah II said on X that Jordan “will confront the terrorist act that targeted Karak with the harshest penalties” and offered condolences to the families of those killed.
Rare attack in Jordan
Karak is home to a minority Christian community. Attacks of this kind are rare in Jordan, though the country has suffered deadly attacks in the past. In 2016, gunmen ambushed police in a series of attacks in Karak, including at a Crusader castle popular with tourists, killing 10 people, seven of them officers, and wounding dozens. Jordanian security forces killed those gunmen after a long standoff.
Jordan’s prime minister was due to chair a meeting of the country’s Security Council with all ministers, and interior ministry officials were expected to brief the press.
Reporting based on coverage by the Associated Press and Today News Brief (sourcing BBC News, Sky News, Al Jazeera and al-Mamlaka).
