Gunmen Attack Greek Orthodox Church in Jordan, Seven Killed
Amman, October 24: A deadly terrorist attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Jordan's Karak province has left seven people dead and has led to a security alert from the US Embassy in Amman for American citizens.
Background of the attack
Gunmen opened indiscriminate fire inside a church during a funeral on Friday, according to Jordanian authorities. Seven people were killed and 40 others were wounded. Health Minister Ibrahim al-Bodour said two of the injured are in critical condition. The church is in Karak, roughly 180 km south of the capital, Amman.
State television footage shows two gunmen approaching the church and firing pistols. A third man, carrying what appears to be a semi-automatic rifle, then joins them and begins shooting before all three run toward the building. Videos recorded by eyewitnesses show shattered glass and bloodstains on the church floor.
Security response
On Saturday, the US Embassy in Amman shared an advisory saying the attack took place at a church in the Hammoud village of Karak. The Public Security Directorate said 27 injured people are still under treatment.
Authorities said the manhunt for the perpetrators is ongoing and the scene has been fully surrounded. Investigators are still working on the case. Security has been increased at malls, foreign embassies and public places in Amman.
The embassy advised Americans to stay vigilant, follow the PSD and Jordan Police on social media, check public safety guidance on the National Center for Security and Crisis Management website, monitor media such as Roya News, Petra News and The Jordan Times, and avoid protests and crowded areas.
Regional and global response
Japan's embassy in Amman expressed deep sympathy for the bereaved families, wished the wounded a speedy recovery, and condemned all forms of violence. The Australian embassy also condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and expressed solidarity with the Jordanian people.
Leaders and institutions across Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Oman also condemned the killings. Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb of Al-Azhar in Cairo described the attack as a 'heinous terrorist attack' and offered condolences to the families of the victims.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack while speaking at a funeral and called it 'extremely heinous.' His spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said the Secretary-General had demanded that all those responsible be found and held accountable.
Jordan's leadership response
National mourning for three days has been declared, according to the Petra news agency. King Abdullah, a key American partner in the fight against extremist Islamist groups, reached Karak hours after the attack and said the perpetrators would face the harshest possible punishment. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan posted on X that the attack was the result of a terrorist ideology and blind extremism, adding that the country would not allow society to go down that path.
Karak, which has a Christian minority population, has seen violence before. In 2016, gunmen attacked police in the area on several occasions, including at a Crusader castle popular with tourists. Those attacks killed 10 people, including seven police officers, and injured several others. Jordanian security forces eventually killed the attackers after a prolonged clash.