Seven Dead in Jordan Church Attack

At least seven people died when gunmen opened fire on a Greek Orthodox church compound in southern Jordan on Friday. The attack occurred during a funeral procession in the village of Hammoud, located in Karak governorate.

Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya announced the death toll at a press conference. He reported that 34 additional individuals sustained injuries. The minister identified a group of extremists as the group responsible for the violence.

The public security directorate stated that the assailants exited a vehicle to begin the shooting. Footage from the state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka showed three attackers. Two carried pistols while one held a long gun. They fired from a street entrance before advancing into the compound. An eyewitness told the broadcaster that the gunmen fired continuously for five minutes before fleeing the scene.

The witness estimated that between 150 and 200 people were inside or near the church at the time. Most of the victims were adults between the ages of 50 and 70. Security forces launched an immediate manhunt for the perpetrators. Minister of Government Communications Mohammed Al-Momani confirmed that an investigation is underway.

Karak lies 110 miles south of the capital, Amman. The region maintains a large Christian population. This incident marks a rare direct assault on the Christian community in the majority Sunni Muslim kingdom. King Abdullah II vowed to strike with an iron fist against those who threaten the nation. He described every Jordanian life as precious and promised the harshest retaliation.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the event as a heinous terrorist attack. In a statement from his presidency, Aoun noted that the violence aimed to strike at coexistence and spread strife. He emphasized that terrorism has no religion or homeland. Jordanian security forces previously dealt with deadly violence in the same area in 2016. That year, gunmen ambushed police at a Crusader castle, killing ten people, including seven officers.