Jordan church shooting: 7 dead, 34 injured as gunmen open fire during funeral in Karak | Today’s news
Gunmen opened fire on Friday (October 23) during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, Jordan, killing seven people and wounding 34 others, AP reported, citing authorities. The government described the attackers as unknown assailants and said investigations were ongoing.
Karak is located about 180 kilometers (110 mi) south of the Jordanian capital Amman and is home to a minority Christian population.
Footage broadcast by Jordanian state television showed two men with pistols approaching the church and firing. A third man, who appeared to be carrying a semi-automatic rifle, then opened fire. All three were subsequently seen running towards the church.
A government statement said the attack was “carried out by unknown assailants” but did not say whether any of the gunmen had been captured or killed.
“Investigations are ongoing at full speed,” the statement said.
Church shooting in Jordan: 27 injured still receiving treatment
Jordan’s director of public security, Major General Obeidallah Maaytah, said at a press conference that 27 of those injured in Friday’s shooting were still being treated.
Authorities have not released further details about the identity of the attackers or the circumstances that led to the shooting.
King Abdullah II condemned the attack and promised a strong response.
Jordan “will face the terrorist act that targeted Karak with the most severe punishments,” the king said in a post on X. He also expressed his “deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs and our wishes for the recovery of the injured.”
An attack on a church in Jordan has sparked regional condemnation
The shooting drew condemnation from several countries in the region, including Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Oman.
Ahmed al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in Cairo, expressed his condolences to the families of those killed and described the shooting as a “heinous terrorist attack”.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein called his Jordanian counterpart to express solidarity with the country.
Hussein “reaffirmed Iraq’s solidarity with Jordan in the face of terrorism,” his office said in a statement.
Karak witnessed deadly attacks in 2016
The latest shooting drew attention once again to Karachi’s history of deadly attacks. In 2016, gunmen carried out a series of attacks in the area, including an ambush targeting police and an attack near a Crusader castle popular with tourists.
The attacks killed 10 people, including seven police officers, and injured dozens more. Jordanian security forces eventually killed the attackers after a long chase.
Authorities have found no connection between the 2016 attacks and Friday’s shooting.
The investigation of the latest incident continues, further details about the attackers and the circumstances of the shooting are not yet known.