Jordan Orders Harsh Penalties After Seven Die in Karak Church Shooting
Three armed men opened fire during a Greek Orthodox funeral, killing seven and wounding 40 in a town 90 km south of Amman.
By Kateryna Melnyk ·
Seven people died and 40 were wounded when gunmen opened fire inside a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, Jordan, on Friday. The attack occurred roughly 90 kilometers south of Amman, disrupting a funeral service that had just begun.
Witnesses described the sudden escalation of violence. Dorgham Halasa, a mourner present at the service, stated that intense gunfire erupted approximately 15 minutes after the ceremony started. "It was a weird situation, and heavy gunfire," Halasa said. While some attendees reported seeing four assailants, Jordanian state television footage showed three men approaching the building. Two appeared to carry pistols, while a third held a semiautomatic rifle before all three entered the church.
The government characterized the incident as an act by "unknown assailants" and declared three days of national mourning. Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour reported that two of the wounded are in critical condition. Jordan's security services did not immediately confirm if any of the gunmen were captured or killed, but officials stated that investigations are proceeding rapidly.
King Abdullah II addressed the nation on the social media platform X, promising the "harshest penalties" for the "terrorist act." He offered condolences to the victims' families and expressed hope for the recovery of the injured. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, speaking at a security meeting in Karak on Friday evening, attributed the attack to "terrorist ideology and blind extremism." Hassan stated that legal measures would be taken against those seeking to introduce extremism into the country.
Karak has a small Christian population and has experienced deadly violence previously. In 2016, gunmen ambushed police in a series of attacks, including one at a nearby Crusader castle. Ten people died in that incident, seven of whom were officers. The current attack drew immediate condemnation from regional and international leaders. Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb of Al-Azhar in Cairo called the shooting a "heinous terrorist attack," while U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described it as "especially heinous" because it occurred during a funeral. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein also phoned his Jordanian counterpart to express solidarity against terrorism.
Source: NPR
