Three-Day Mourning Declared as Jordan Seeks Three Gunmen
Security forces are hunting for the attackers who killed eight people during a funeral service in the town of Hamoud.
By Tunde Bailey ·
Jordanian security forces are searching for three gunmen who killed eight people and wounded 40 others during a funeral service in Karak governorate. The Ministry of Health confirmed the casualties on Saturday. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan declared three days of national mourning.
The shooting began on Friday afternoon at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud. Survivors reported hearing an explosion shortly after the service started. Two men arrived in a vehicle, and a third man carrying a semi-automatic rifle joined them. The group entered the church and fired for several minutes.
Nasser al-Burqan, a lawyer who survived the attack, said one gunman stood about two meters away and fired a handgun at him. His son, who was also inside, later called to say he had been shot in the leg and was receiving treatment in a hospital. Tarek Ammarin, who was visiting an injured relative, described the event as a massacre in every sense of the word.
Authorities reported that seven people died at the scene. An eighth victim, a woman, died of her injuries hours later. Twenty-seven of the 40 wounded remain in hospital. The director of Prince Ali Military Hospital in Karak stated that one patient is in critical condition following surgery.
King Abdullah II ordered a review of the country's security procedures for responding to terrorist attacks. He said those responsible would face the harshest penalties. Interior Minister Mazin Al-Farrayeh blamed a group of extremists but did not name a specific organization. The motive for the attack remains unclear.
Karak governorate is located about 120 kilometers south of Amman. It is home to many of Jordan's roughly 300,000 Christians. The area has experienced violence before. In 2016, ISIL carried out a series of attacks in the region, including a siege on a Crusader-era castle that killed ten people.
International leaders have condemned the attack. The United States embassy in Jordan offered condolences to victims and survivors. Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar, called the incident a heinous terrorist attack. Flags at government buildings will remain at half-mast for three days.
