Jordan Church Attack: Funeral in Karak Ends in Tragedy
Seven people were killed and forty injured when armed men opened fire during a religious service in a town south of Amman.
By Alina Carter ·
A violent disruption struck a religious gathering in Jordan on Friday, leaving a significant number of mourners dead or injured. The incident occurred at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, a town located roughly 55 miles south of the capital, Amman. Local authorities confirmed that seven people lost their lives in the assault, while another forty sustained injuries of varying severity.
Footage aired on national television provides a glimpse into the chaotic moments that unfolded outside the building. The video shows two men approaching the structure, appearing to be armed with pistols, as they begin to fire. A third individual, who seems to be holding a semiautomatic rifle, then steps forward and adds to the barrage. All three men are seen running toward the church as the shooting intensifies. Witness recordings from inside the building reveal the aftermath, with shattered glass scattered across the floor and visible pools of blood indicating the severity of the blast.
One of the mourners present, Dorgham Halasa, described the sudden shift from a solemn service to a scene of panic. He noted that the intense gunfire began approximately fifteen minutes after the funeral had started. "It was a weird situation, and heavy gunfire," Halasa said. Although he did not see the attackers personally, he relayed that other attendees told him they had spotted four individuals involved in the shooting. Independent verification of the exact number of assailants remains difficult, as security services have not yet provided specific details on their count.
The Jordanian government issued a statement describing the event as an action carried out by unknown assailants. Officials did not clarify whether any of the gunmen had been captured or killed in the crossfire. However, they emphasized that investigations are proceeding at full speed to determine the cause and identify those responsible. In the wake of the tragedy, the kingdom declared three days of national mourning to honor the victims.
Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour provided a medical update, stating that two of the wounded patients are currently in critical condition. King Abdullah II took to social media to express the nation's resolve, writing that Jordan will confront this terrorist act with the harshest penalties. He extended his deepest condolences to the families of those who died and wished for a full recovery for the injured. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, speaking at a security meeting in Karak later that evening, attributed the attack to terrorist ideology and blind extremism. He assured the public that legal measures would be taken against those seeking to introduce such extremism into the country.
Karak has a history of violence affecting its minority Christian population. In 2016, a series of ambushes by gunmen targeted police in the area, including an attack near a popular Crusader castle. That previous incident resulted in ten deaths, seven of whom were officers, along with dozens of injuries. Security forces eventually ended the standoff and killed the gunmen. The recent tragedy has drawn widespread condemnation from across the region, including from Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, and Oman.
Religious and diplomatic leaders have joined the chorus of grief and outrage. Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, which is a foremost Sunni Muslim institution, called the shooting a heinous terrorist attack and offered condolences to the victims' families. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein spoke with his Jordanian counterpart to affirm Iraq's solidarity with Jordan in the face of terrorism. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the event, describing it as especially heinous due to the timing during a funeral. His spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, noted that the Secretary-General is calling for all responsible parties to be found and held to account.
The attack has once again placed the security of religious sites in Jordan under the spotlight. As the investigation moves into its next phase, the focus remains on identifying the unknown assailants and bringing them to justice. The community in Karak is now in a period of mourning, reflecting on a day that was meant for remembrance but instead became a moment of shock and loss for the nation.
