Six killed at Jordan church funeral as King Abdullah vows retaliation
Gunmen attacked mourners at a Greek Orthodox church in Hamoud, Jordan, on Friday, October 23, killing six people and injuring 28, according to the Public Security Directorate. King Abdullah condemned the shooting as a "terrorist attack" and pledged the harshest retaliation.
Mariam Al Mansoori
Mourners describe five minutes of gunfire
The funeral was for a woman in Hamoud, a Christian village north of Karak, Petra News Agency confirmed. A relative of one of those killed told The National that the attackers drove to the church, fired on the mourners and fled.
An eyewitness interviewed by state-owned Al Mamlaka TV estimated that the gunfire lasted about five minutes. Between 150 and 200 people were gathered inside and outside the church, the witness said, and most of the victims were between 50 and 70 years old.
Three of those killed were doctors, a member of Karak's Halasah family told The National. "This was a direct attack on the church. Christians were the target," the relative said.
In CCTV footage verified by the BBC, three men appear to head toward the church from a road, each apparently carrying a handgun. Two approach what appears to be an entrance for vehicles, briefly withdraw and then return with the third man.
Security services were investigating, the Public Security Directorate said. Authorities had not identified those responsible, and no group immediately claimed the attack. Live images showed security personnel at the church. An earlier Al Mamlaka report had put the toll at at least seven killed and more than 10 wounded.
King pledges action as officials prepare security meeting
In a post on X, King Abdullah promised to act against those responsible and said the shooting would not break Jordan's national unity.
"Those who delude themselves into thinking that they can divide Jordanians with their bullets have no chance in the face of our unity," he wrote. He described Jordanians across the country as "partners in land and fate" and added: "Every Jordanian life is precious, and we will strike with an iron fist against those who dare to threaten our nation."
The king expressed sympathy for the bereaved families and wished those wounded a speedy recovery.
Condemnation also came from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, a Christian, who called the shooting a "heinous terrorist attack" and offered condolences, DW reported. US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz described the news as "devastating" and said attacks on Christians worldwide "must be stopped".
Government spokesperson Dr. Mohammad al-Momani said the prime minister would lead a Security Council meeting with all ministers attending. An Interior Ministry news briefing was also expected, according to the BBC.
Karak's Christian community and earlier violence
Karak, about 100 kilometers from Amman, has a significant Christian population. Across Jordan, Christians number a couple hundred thousand in a predominantly Muslim population of roughly 11.5 million, according to DW. Biblical sites in the kingdom draw Christian pilgrims from around the world.
Attacks of this kind are highly unusual in Jordan. The country remains relatively stable, though it has faced Iranian attacks since the United States and Israel began strikes against Iran in February.
Karak was also the scene of a major attack in 2016. Islamic State militants killed 10 people and wounded dozens in a series of ambushes there, according to Wikipedia's account of the church shooting. Jordanian security forces killed the gunmen after a standoff.
