Deadly shooting at Jordan church: 7 killed, 34 injured
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Karak: A funeral at a church in Jordan’s Karak governorate turned deadly on Friday after gunmen opened fire on mourners, killing seven people and injuring 34 in a rare attack targeting the country’s Christian minority, Reuters reported.
Public Security Directorate chief Major General Abdallah al-Maaytah said most of the injured were still receiving treatment as security forces launched a hunt for the attackers. No group had claimed responsibility for the shooting.
Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh described the assailants as extremists but said it was too early to establish whether they had links to any known militant organisations.
Security camera footage broadcast by state-owned Al-Mamlaka television showed three people firing towards Hamoud Church before advancing towards its entrance. Witnesses described gunmen shooting at people gathered for the funeral for several minutes, leaving bloodied victims collapsing inside the church.
Jordan’s King Abdullah visited Karak hours after the attack and vowed a forceful response against those responsible. The assault drew condemnation from the country’s Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, parliamentarians and US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz.
The attack has shaken Jordan, a relatively stable country where shootings targeting religious minorities are extremely rare. Authorities have repeatedly reported thwarting attempted attacks by Islamist militants in recent years.
Jordan is home to a Christian minority and several biblical sites that draw pilgrims from around the world. The latest violence has raised fresh concerns over security at places of worship and the safety of religious communities.
The attack came amid wider regional tensions following US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February and subsequent Iranian attacks against US allies in the region.