Seven Killed, 40 Injured in Attack on Jordan Church Funeral

Seven people were killed and 40 others injured when gunmen opened fire during a funeral service at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, southern Jordan, on Friday, according to authorities.

The attack took place in Karak, about 180 kilometres south of the capital, Amman.

Footage broadcast on Jordanian state television showed two armed men, apparently carrying pistols, approaching the church and firing shots. A third person, seemingly armed with a semiautomatic rifle, then arrived and began shooting before all three fled towards the church. Videos recorded by witnesses showed shattered glass and bloodstains on the church floor.

Dorgham Halasa, one of the mourners attending the funeral, said the shooting began about 15 minutes after the service started, triggering panic among those present. He described the incident as an unusual and frightening experience marked by intense gunfire.

Halasa said he had not personally seen the attackers but had heard from others that four gunmen were involved. The number of assailants could not be independently confirmed, and Jordanian security authorities had not immediately provided further details.

A government statement described the incident as an attack by unidentified assailants and said investigations were proceeding rapidly. It did not clarify whether any suspects had been arrested or killed.

Jordan declared three days of national mourning following the killings.

Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour said two of those wounded in Friday's shooting remained in critical condition.

King Abdullah II condemned the violence in a post on X, pledging that those responsible for what he described as a terrorist act targeting Karak would face severe punishment. He also expressed condolences to the victims' families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, speaking during a security meeting in Karak on Friday evening, blamed the attack on extremist ideology and radicalism. He vowed that those responsible would be punished and that legal action would be taken against individuals seeking to spread extremism.

The shooting drew condemnation from several countries in the region, including Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Oman.

In Cairo, Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, extended condolences to the victims' families and denounced the incident as a terrorist attack.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein also contacted his Jordanian counterpart, expressing Iraq's support for Jordan in its fight against terrorism, according to a statement from Hussein's office.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack, describing violence during a funeral as particularly heinous. His spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said the secretary-general had called for those responsible to be identified and held accountable.

Karak has a small Christian community and has previously experienced deadly attacks. In 2016, gunmen carried out a series of assaults against police in the city, including an attack near a historic Crusader castle popular with tourists. The violence killed 10 people, including seven police officers, and injured dozens more. Security forces eventually killed the attackers after a prolonged standoff.