Jordan: Eight killed in Karak church shooting as King orders firm response

Eight people died and 40 others sustained injuries when gunmen opened fire at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak governorate on Friday. The attack occurred in broad daylight while a funeral was in progress, lasting several minutes before the gunfire ceased. The location is situated approximately 120 kilometers southwest of Amman, the national capital.

King Abdullah traveled to Karak within hours of the incident. He instructed security forces to respond firmly and locate the individuals responsible. The monarch stated that the perpetrators would be punished with an iron fist. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan described the event on X as the result of terrorist ideology and blind extremism, asserting that society would not be allowed to follow that path.

Authorities declared three days of national mourning. Officials noted it was too early to determine if the attackers had connections to known groups inside or outside Jordan. No organization had claimed responsibility by Saturday. The US embassy in Amman reported that Jordan had increased security at shopping malls, foreign embassies, and other sites nationwide. Police were seen patrolling outside the church in video footage released on Saturday.

Nasser al-Burqan, a lawyer who survived the attack, told Reuters that an attacker stood about two meters away and aimed a handgun at him. He later received a call from his son, who was also at the service, saying he had been shot in the leg and was receiving hospital treatment. Al-Burqan observed two assailants through a window after the shooting stopped; one was masked, and the other was unmasked and carrying a handgun.

Tarek Ammarin, whose relative was injured, described the event at a local hospital as a massacre in every sense. Bahjat al-Rushda, the mayor of Shihan village in Karak, called the attack wicked and expressed hope that the country would remain safe. Jordanian officials labeled the incident an act of extremist terrorism.

Such attacks are rare in Jordan, which is home to several biblical sites that attract Christian pilgrims from around the world. Karak contains a minority Christian population. US-allied Jordanian authorities have stated they have repeatedly foiled plots by violent groups driven by a strict interpretation of Islam in recent years.