Jordanian King Orders Harshest Penalties After Seven Mourners Shot Dead
Gunmen opened fire for 15 minutes at a funeral in Karak, leaving 34 injured as security forces hunt for the unidentified attackers.
By Amina Kaminski ·
King Abdullah II of Jordan ordered that the harshest penalties be applied to those responsible for a shooting at a church in Karak that killed seven people on Friday. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya identified the attackers as a group of extremists during a news conference held shortly after the incident.
The attack occurred at a funeral in Hmoud, a town in the central Karak governorate. Officials reported that at least 34 others were injured. Footage verified by the BBC shows three men approaching the church from a road, each carrying a handgun. Two of the men entered a vehicle entrance, briefly retreated, and returned with the third. They opened fire inside the building and fled in a pickup truck, shooting as they drove away.
Witnesses described a scene of intense panic inside the church. Khalid al-Mdanat, who was present during the attack, said the gunfire lasted for approximately 15 minutes. He noted that people tried to flee while bullets were still flying. Another witness described the sound of the shooting as resembling the start of a war. A woman inside the church said the gunfire began seconds after a prayer and continued to escalate for 10 continuous minutes. When she exited the building, she saw bodies scattered across the courtyards.
Security forces tightened controls around a hospital in Karak that is treating the wounded. Roads near the facility were closed, forcing vehicles to park and allowing people to walk to the entrance. The area was crowded with families mourning the dead. Some residents expressed anger over the violence, describing it as a failure to adopt a tougher stance against terrorists.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the event as a heinous terrorist attack. According to Lebanese media, he stated that the incident violated the sanctity of funeral mourners and contradicted religious and humanitarian values. Jordan is majority Muslim, but Karak maintains a sizeable Christian community. While violent attacks are rare in the country, deadly incidents have occurred in the past.
Authorities have not yet identified the specific group behind the attack. No organization or individual has claimed responsibility. The death toll fluctuated in early reports, with some officials initially citing six deaths before confirming the final count of seven. Security officials continue to search for the gunmen who escaped in a pickup truck.
