In brief
In the early hours on Friday, a group of armed assailants stormed a Greek Orthodox church in Hmoud, Karak, targeting mourners during a funeral. The attack left seven dead and at least 34 injured, according to local officials. Interior Minister Mazen al‑Faraya and King Abdullah II condemned the "extremist" act and vowed swift justice. CCTV footage showed the attackers entering on foot and fleeing in a pickup, while witnesses described panic and screams inside the building. The strike is a grim reminder of rare but deadly sectarian violence in Jordan and has drawn international condemnation, including from the Lebanese president."
In a brutal early‑morning assault on Friday, gunmen stormed a Greek Orthodox church in Hmoud, Krak, and opened fire on mourners during a funeral service.
Seven people were killed and at least 34 others injured, Reuters reports. Officials described the attackers as a small “extremist” group who arrived in a vehicle, entered the building, fired indiscriminately, and fled in a pickup truck while still shooting.
Interior Minister Mazen al‑Faraya said the government is working hard to apprehend the perpetrators and called the incident “painful” and “unparalleled in the history of the Hashemite Kingdom.” King Abdullah II condemned the attack and promised “the harshest penalties” for the killers.
CCTV footage, verified by the BBC, shows three gunmen approaching the church from a nearby road, entering through a side entrance, and retreating briefly before re‑entering with a third assailant. The footage later shows fallen bodies and injured victims in the church courtyard.
Witnesses described chaos: people scattering, praying and screaming, and some clutching their dead or fleeing with their children. One man who was inside reported that the attack lasted about 15 minutes with “people trying to flee while the shooting was still active.”
The attack comes at a time of heightened security as the King visited the region to check on victims. Roads around local hospitals were closed, and a heavy police presence surrounded the treatment center. Many residents expressed anger, frustration, and disbelief over the violence in a country that traditionally enjoys relative stability.
Karak is home to a sizable Christian community within predominantly Muslim Jordan. While rare, such sectarian violence is not unheard of; past attacks have targeted churches and mosques. The incident drew condemnation from Lebanon’s President, who called it a “heinous terrorist attack” that violates “the sanctity of death and funeral mourners.”
The government has vowed to hold the attackers accountable. The incident underscores the ongoing threat of extremist violence in the Middle East and has prompted calls for tougher security measures.”
