Jordan searches for church attackers
Three gunmen are missing after a funeral service in Karak turned deadly, leaving eight people dead and dozens injured in a rare act of violence.
By Kwame Silva ·
Eight people died and dozens more were injured after three gunmen stormed a funeral service at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud on Friday afternoon. The attack has placed significant pressure on Jordan's security apparatus, which is currently hunting for the three unknown assailants. Authorities have officially classified the incident as an act of terror, marking a rare and violent disruption at a Christian place of worship within the kingdom.
Survivors described a chaotic scene that began shortly after the service started. Witnesses heard an explosion, after which two attackers arrived in a vehicle. They were soon joined by a third man carrying a semi-automatic rifle. The group entered the church and fired for several minutes. Nasser al-Burqan, a lawyer who survived the shooting, recalled one gunman firing a handgun from a distance of about two meters. His son, also present at the service, was shot in the leg and is currently receiving treatment in a hospital.
Jordan's Ministry of Health confirmed the final death toll on Saturday, noting that seven victims died at the scene while an eighth woman succumbed to her injuries hours later. Of the 40 people wounded, 27 remain in medical care. Officials at Prince Ali Military Hospital in Karak stated that one patient is in critical condition following surgery. Tarek Ammarin, who was visiting an injured relative at the church, described the event as a massacre in every sense of the word.
The government has moved quickly to respond to the tragedy. King Abdullah II offered condolences to the victims' families and promised the responsible parties would face the harshest penalties. He also ordered a comprehensive review of security procedures for handling terrorist attacks. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan labeled the incident a product of terrorist ideology and blind extremism, while Interior Minister Mazin Al-Farrayeh attributed the violence to a group of extremists, though he did not name a specific organization. The exact motive behind the attack remains unclear to investigators.
Karak governorate is located about 120 kilometers south of Amman and serves as a hub for Jordan's Christian population, which numbers roughly 300,000 out of a total population of 11.5 million. Taylor Luck, a senior correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor, noted that the community takes great pride in its long history of interfaith coexistence. He suggested that while the attack was likely intended to create division, the community may ultimately emerge stronger from the ordeal.
International reactions have been swift, with condolences arriving from Azerbaijan, Iraq, Poland, Palestine, and Qatar. Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar in Cairo, called the event a heinous terrorist attack. The United States embassy in Jordan also extended its sympathies. In a show of national grief, the prime minister declared three days of mourning, with flags flying at half-mast over government and public buildings. This type of violence is uncommon in Jordan, although the region has seen significant attacks in the past, including a 2016 siege by ISIL at a Crusader-era castle.
Security forces continue to comb the area for the three shooters. Footage from security cameras and state broadcasts showed the men firing outside the church and targeting a group of men attempting to flee. As the search intensifies, the focus remains on bringing the unknown assailants to justice while maintaining the stability of a region known for its religious diversity.
