Eight Dead, 27 Hospitalized After Karak Church Attack

Three gunmen attacked a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud on Friday afternoon, killing eight people and wounding 40 others. The assault occurred during a funeral service in Karak governorate, located about 120 kilometers south of Amman. The Ministry of Health confirmed the death toll and injury count.

The violence began when two attackers arrived by vehicle and were joined by a third man carrying a semi-automatic rifle. Witnesses reported hearing an explosion shortly after the service started. The trio entered the church and fired for several minutes. Security forces are currently searching for the three men, whom government officials describe as unknown assailants.

Nasser al-Burqan, a lawyer and survivor, stated that one attacker fired a handgun at him from a distance of two meters. His son, who was also inside, suffered a leg wound and is receiving treatment. Tarek Ammarin, who was visiting an injured relative, described the incident as a massacre in every sense. The Petra news agency reported that seven victims died at the scene and an eighth, a woman, died hours later.

Of the 40 people wounded, 27 remain hospitalized. A director at Prince Ali Military Hospital in Karak noted that one patient is in critical condition following surgery. Interior Minister Mazin Al-Farrayeh attributed the attack to a group of extremists but did not name a specific organization. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan characterized the motive as blind extremism.

King Abdullah II ordered a review of Jordan's security procedures for responding to terrorist attacks. He stated that those responsible would face the harshest penalties. The prime minister declared three days of mourning, with flags at half-mast on public buildings. Condemnations arrived from Azerbaijan, Iraq, Poland, Palestine, and Qatar.

Ahmed al-Tayeb, grand imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar, called the event a heinous terrorist attack. The United States embassy in Jordan offered condolences to the victims and survivors. Taylor Luck, a senior correspondent, noted that Christians in Jordan take pride in interfaith coexistence, suggesting the community may emerge stronger from the event.

Karak has experienced violence previously. In 2016, ISIL carried out a series of attacks in the region, including a siege on a Crusader-era castle that killed 10 people. Security forces killed four attackers after a standoff following that incident. The current attack is considered rare for a Christian place of worship in the kingdom.