Karak Church Attack: Five-Minute Gunfire Kills Seven

Mourners attending a funeral in southern Jordan faced gunfire on Friday, resulting in seven deaths and 34 injuries. The attack targeted a gathering at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud, located in Karak governorate. Officials described the incident as a rare direct assault on the country's Christian community.

Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya confirmed the toll at a press conference, stating that 34 people were wounded in addition to the seven killed. He attributed the violence to a group of extremists. The public security directorate reported that the assailants arrived in a vehicle, exited, and stormed the church compound before opening fire during the funeral procession. A manhunt for the perpetrators was immediately launched.

Footage broadcast by state television Al-Mamlaka showed three men in casual clothing entering the scene. Two of the gunmen held pistols, while the third carried a long gun. They fired from a street entrance before advancing toward the building. An eyewitness who spoke to the broadcaster described a continuous barrage of fire lasting five minutes before the attackers fled. The witness estimated that between 150 and 200 people were present inside and around the church at the time, noting that most of the victims were between 50 and 70 years old.

Karak, situated 110 miles south of the capital Amman, maintains a notable Christian population. Minister of Government Communications Mohammed Al-Momani stated that security forces were actively investigating the scene. King Abdullah II reacted on social media, promising the harshest retaliation against those responsible. He declared that every Jordanian life is precious and vowed to strike with an iron fist against threats to the nation.

International reaction followed the local response. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the only Christian head of state in the Arab world, condemned the event as a heinous terrorist attack. In a statement from his presidency, Aoun said the violence reaffirmed that terrorism has no religion or homeland and aims to strike at coexistence. Karak experienced a similar incident in 2016, when gunmen ambushed police, killing ten people and wounding dozens. Security forces ended that standoff by killing the attackers.