In brief
In a tragic event on Friday, gunmen stormed a church hosting a funeral in central Jordan’s Karak governorate and opened fire, killing seven and injuring at least 34. The attack, documented by CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts, has been condemned as a terrorist act by Jordanian officials and drew international condemnation. Security forces shut traffic and fortified the hospital treating victims, while families mourned outside. The Christian minority in Jordan highlighted the unprecedented nature of the terror, and King Abdullah II pledged harsh penalties for the perpetrators.
Seven people were killed when gunmen entered a church during a funeral in Hmoud, in the Karak governorate of central Jordan, and opened fire, officials confirmed.
At least 34 others were wounded as the attackers, who arrived in a car, fired into an interior full of mourners. The assault lasted approximately 15 minutes, after which the gunmen fled in a pickup truck while continuing to shoot.
Jordan’s Interior Minister, Mazen al‑Faraya, described the perpetrators as a “group of extremists” and said authorities were working to apprehend them. King Abdullah II vowed “harsh penalties” to confront the terrorist act that targeted Karak.
CCTV footage, shared by the BBC, shows three men walking toward the church, briefly exiting the grounds and returning with a third accomplice. The footage captures the chaotic scene: bodies on the ground and grieving families clutching each other.
Witnesses reported frantic reactions inside the building — people seeking cover under pews, throwing themselves to the floor, and clutching children as the shooting continued. One discussion was quoted as: ‘People tried to flee while the shooting was still active’.
Security forces closed roads around a hospital treating the wounded, and a heavy presence of guards remained outside during a visit by the King. Residents expressed anger and frustration, calling it a failed response to terrorism.
The Christian community in Karak, a minority in a majority‑Muslim Jordan, called the attack unprecedented. Lebanon’s President, Joseph Aoun, condemned the attack as a violation of “the sanctity of death and funeral mourners.”
