Jordan orders national search after three gunmen kill nine at church funeral

Jordan has experienced periods of regional stability, but a shooting at a church funeral in the Karak governorate on Friday disrupted that calm. Nine people died and 40 were wounded when three gunmen opened fire at St George's Greek Orthodox church in the town of Hamoud.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan confirmed on the social media platform X that the government is conducting an immediate search for the attackers. He described the violence as a product of blind extremism and stated that the state would not allow that ideology to take root in society. The head of the Public Security Directorate, Major General Abdallah al-Maaytah, reported that most of the 40 wounded were receiving medical treatment. The search for the three suspects continued through the night.

Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh labeled the incident a terrorist act committed by extremists. He noted that it is too early to determine if the group has formal ties to known organizations inside or outside Jordan. No group had claimed responsibility for the attack as of Saturday morning.

Footage verified by Reuters appeared to show the sequence of events from a security camera. Three individuals fired from a pavement, using trees and a low wall for cover, before running toward the church entrance. Witnesses described a chaotic scene inside the building. Priest Theodoros Soueiss said the gunfire was indiscriminate and that panic spread quickly among the congregation. Khaled Burqan, a funeral guest, told state television that the firing lasted for several minutes. Another witness, Ihab Ammareen, described seeing bloodied people collapse to the floor while others screamed.

King Abdullah traveled to Karak within hours of the shooting. He promised that the perpetrators would be punished with an iron fist. The king said that anyone who tries to divide the nation with bullets has no chance against national unity. This visit followed a period where Jordan served as a key US partner in the region's efforts to counter militant Islamist groups.

The US embassy in Amman stated on Saturday that security measures were increased at malls, foreign embassies, and other strategic locations across the country. United Nations Secretary General António Guterres condemned the violence, calling attacks on civilians and places of worship unacceptable. Mike Waltz, the US ambassador to the UN, described the incident as a brutal attack on a house of worship.

Jordan is home to a Christian minority and several biblical sites that attract pilgrims from around the world. US authorities have reported that they have foiled several attempted attacks by Islamist militants in recent years. The country was also targeted by Iranian strikes earlier this year following US and Israeli operations against Iran in February.

Outside a government hospital in Karak, local residents gathered to support the injured. Hani Al-Mbaydeen expressed the community's shock and asked for an investigation into the source of what he called dark ideas that influence young minds.