Jordan Declares Three Days of Mourning After Karak Church Attack

Jordan’s security forces are investigating a shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak that occurred during a funeral service on Friday. The attack left seven people dead and 40 others wounded in the town, which is located roughly 90 kilometers south of Amman.

State television footage shows two men armed with pistols approaching the building and firing before a third individual with a semiautomatic rifle joins the assault. Witnesses reported shattered glass and blood on the church floor. Dorgham Halasa, a mourner inside, stated that heavy gunfire began about 15 minutes after the service started, prompting a rapid evacuation.

The government stated the attack was carried out by unknown assailants and that investigations are proceeding at full speed. Authorities have not confirmed whether any gunmen were captured or killed. Halasa noted that some attendees believed they saw four attackers, though the Associated Press could not independently verify the number.

Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour reported that two of the wounded are in critical condition. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan described the incident as the product of terrorist ideology and blind extremism. He said legal measures would be taken against those seeking to introduce extremism to the kingdom.

King Abdullah II wrote on X that Jordan will confront the terrorist act with the harshest penalties. He offered condolences to the families of the deceased and wished for the recovery of the injured. The Petra News Agency reported that the kingdom declared three days of national mourning.

Karak has a minority Christian population and has experienced deadly violence in the past. In 2016, gunmen ambushed police in a series of attacks in the town, killing ten people and wounding dozens. Security forces killed the attackers after a prolonged standoff.

Regional leaders have condemned the shooting. Ahmed al-Tayeb, grand imam of Al-Azhar, called the incident a heinous terrorist attack. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the attack as especially heinous because it happened during a funeral and called for those responsible to be held to account.