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Jordan declares three days of national mourning after a deadly shooting at a church funeral in Karak kills 7. (Img: X)
Karak: At least seven people were killed and 40 others injured after armed assailants opened fire during a funeral service at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, southern Jordan. The deadly shooting triggered panic among mourners, prompted a major security response and led the Jordanian government to declare three days of national mourning. Authorities have launched an investigation and are working to identify and apprehend those responsible for the attack.
The attack took place at a Greek Orthodox church in the Hmoud area of Karak governorate, approximately 180 kilometres south of Jordan’s capital, Amman. The church was hosting a funeral service when the gunmen opened fire, turning a religious gathering into a scene of violence and chaos.
According to witness accounts, the shooting began around 15 minutes after the funeral service started. Between 150 and 200 people were reportedly inside the church at the time, although this estimate has not been independently confirmed.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as mourners scrambled for cover, hid beneath church pews and moved away from windows to escape the gunfire. Some people attempted to protect their children and relatives, while others rushed towards the exits amid screams and confusion.
The violence reportedly continued for several minutes. Witness accounts suggested that the attackers eventually fled the premises, with one account indicating that they escaped in a pickup truck while firing. Authorities have not publicly established every detail of the attackers’ movements.
Footage broadcast by Jordanian state television appeared to show two men carrying handguns approaching the church and opening fire. A third individual, apparently armed with a semi-automatic rifle in the initial broadcast footage, subsequently approached and fired before the men moved towards the building.
Separately, CCTV footage verified by the BBC appeared to show three armed individuals moving from a nearby road towards the church grounds. The footage showed the men approaching the premises, briefly retreating and returning together.
Witness accounts differed over the number of attackers, with one funeral attendee reporting that other people had seen four gunmen. The available footage appeared to show three individuals, but the total number of people involved has not been conclusively established.
Videos recorded in the aftermath showed shattered glass, blood on the church floor and injured people amid the resulting chaos. The scenes highlighted the severity of the attack on civilians gathered for a religious ceremony.
Jordanian authorities confirmed seven fatalities, while Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour said two of the injured were in critical condition. Some initial reports gave a lower death toll before officials revised the number to seven. Separate reports also cited different injury figures, underscoring the need to rely on the latest official tally.
The injured were taken for medical treatment as security personnel strengthened their presence around hospitals and affected areas. Families of the victims gathered at medical facilities amid grief, anxiety and anger over the violence.
Road closures and heightened security measures were reported around a hospital treating victims. Authorities also increased security arrangements ahead of King Abdullah II’s visit to check on the injured.
The government initially described the attackers as unidentified assailants and said investigations were progressing rapidly. Jordanian Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya subsequently described the perpetrators as a group of extremists and said security agencies were working to apprehend them. Officials had not publicly confirmed the final number of suspects or announced a definitive account of their identities.
Following the killings, Jordan declared three days of national mourning, according to the state-run Petra News Agency. The decision reflected the national significance of the attack and the loss of civilian lives at a place of worship.
King Abdullah II condemned the violence and pledged a strong response against those responsible. He extended condolences to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery, while promising the harshest penalties for the perpetrators.
Prime Minister Jafar Hassan also addressed the incident during a security meeting in Karak on Friday evening. He attributed the attack to extremist ideology and religiously motivated radicalism, warning that those responsible would face punishment.
The government also indicated that legal measures would be taken against individuals seeking to promote extremism. The investigation is expected to focus on identifying the attackers, establishing their motive, determining whether they had accomplices and examining how the attack was planned and executed.
The killings drew widespread condemnation from governments and religious leaders across the Middle East. Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Oman were among the countries expressing concern over the attack and extending condolences to Jordan.
Ahmed al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Cairo’s Al-Azhar institution, condemned the violence and offered condolences to the victims’ families. Al-Azhar is among the most influential centres of Sunni Islamic scholarship, making its response significant amid concerns over attacks targeting civilians and religious communities.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein also contacted his Jordanian counterpart and reaffirmed Baghdad’s solidarity with Amman in confronting terrorism.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned the attack through his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric. The UN chief called for those responsible to be identified and held accountable, while expressing condolences to the families of the victims and wishing the injured a swift recovery.
The United Nations also reiterated that attacks against civilians and places of worship are unacceptable and stressed that religious sites must remain safe spaces for people of all faiths. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun likewise condemned the attack, highlighting the violation of the sanctity of a funeral and the targeting of mourners during a religious gathering.
Karak has a minority Christian population within Jordan, a predominantly Muslim country where large-scale attacks of this nature are relatively rare. The targeting of a church funeral has therefore raised concerns about civilian safety, religious freedom and the threat posed by extremist violence.
The city has also witnessed deadly attacks in the past. In 2016, gunmen carried out a series of attacks targeting police at several locations in Karak, including a Crusader-era castle popular with tourists. The violence killed 10 people, including seven police officers, and wounded dozens. Jordanian security forces eventually killed the attackers following a prolonged standoff.
The latest shooting has renewed attention on Jordan’s counterterrorism efforts and the security of public gatherings, religious institutions and vulnerable communities. Investigators will need to establish whether the latest incident was part of a broader extremist plot or an isolated attack.
For now, authorities are continuing their investigation while families mourn those killed and the injured receive medical care. The three-day national mourning period, the heightened security response and condemnation from regional and international leaders underscore the seriousness of an attack that struck at the heart of a community gathering to honour the dead.
