Gunmen killed six people and wounded 34 others in an attack on a Greek Orthodox church in southern Jordan on Friday, authorities confirmed. The assault occurred during a funeral procession at the church in the village of Hammoud, Karak governorate, prompting an immediate manhunt for the perpetrators.
Two assailants exited a vehicle and opened fire on the church compound, according to the public security directorate, which initially reported seven deaths before revising the toll. State broadcaster Al-Mamlaka aired footage showing the attackers, dressed in casual clothing and armed with pistols and a long gun, firing at the church entrance before charging inside. Video from within the church showed injured individuals on the floor as bystanders administered aid.
Authorities stated that between 150 and 200 people were present at the time of the attack, with most victims aged between 50 and 70. The Ministry of Government Communications confirmed security forces were investigating the incident, describing the assailants as a group of extremists without specifying affiliations. Jordan’s King Abdullah vowed on social media platform X that those responsible would face ‘an iron fist’, emphasizing national unity in response to the violence.
The attack occurred in Karak, a region with a significant Christian minority in the predominantly Sunni Muslim country. This incident follows a 2016 series of gun attacks in Karak, including at a Crusader castle, which resulted in 10 deaths and dozens of injuries. Security forces killed the assailants after a prolonged standoff in that case. No group has yet claimed responsibility for Friday’s assault, and investigations remain ongoing.
Authorities have not disclosed further details about the attackers’ identities or motives, though the reference to ‘extremists’ suggests a possible ideological or sectarian motivation. The church compound, typically a place of worship and community gathering, became the site of a violent confrontation that has drawn condemnation from national leadership and raised security concerns in the region.