Jordan Economy: Security Costs Rise After Karak Church Attack

Eight people died and forty others suffered injuries in a shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in the Karak governorate, according to the royal court. The incident occurred on Friday while a funeral service was in progress, forcing a rapid expansion of security operations across the country.

The attack took place in broad daylight, roughly 120 kilometers southwest of the capital, Amman. Gunmen fired for several minutes before retreating. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident, which officials labeled an act of extremist terrorism. Jordan has declared a three-day period of national mourning in response to the loss of life.

Security measures have tightened at key infrastructure sites, including shopping malls and foreign embassies. The US embassy in Amman confirmed these heightened precautions. Authorities are actively searching for the perpetrators, with police patrolling the area outside the church as of Saturday. The security sweep aims to locate the suspects and prevent further incidents in major urban centers.

King Abdullah traveled to Karak within hours of the shooting to oversee the response. He instructed security forces to respond firmly and hunt down those responsible. The monarch vowed that the perpetrators would be punished with an iron fist. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan described the event as a result of terrorist ideology and blind extremism, stating that society would not be allowed to go down that path.

Witnesses provided details of the scene. Nasser al-Burqan, a lawyer who survived the attack, told Reuters that one attacker stood about two meters away and aimed a handgun at him. He later learned his son, who was also present, had been shot in the leg and was receiving hospital treatment. Al-Burqan reported seeing two assailants through a window after the gunfire stopped, one masked and the other carrying a handgun.

Local leaders and residents reacted to the violence. Tarek Ammarin, whose relative was injured, described the event as a massacre in every sense of the word. Bahjat al-Rushda, the mayor of Shihan village in Karak, called the attack wicked and expressed hope that the country would remain safe. The Karak region is home to a minority Christian population, and the kingdom contains several biblical sites that attract pilgrims from around the world.

Attacks of this nature are rare in Jordan, a US ally in the fight against violent armed groups. However, authorities say they have repeatedly foiled plots in recent years driven by groups with a strict interpretation of Islam. The incident has intensified the security presence in the region, with officials noting it is too early to determine if the attackers had ties to known groups inside or outside the country.