Gunmen Kill Seven at Jordan Funeral

Jordan has a small but established Christian presence, yet violence against religious services remains rare in the majority Muslim nation. On Friday, that norm was broken when gunmen attacked a funeral in the central Karak governorate.

Officials confirmed that seven people died in the shooting. At least 34 others were injured. The attack occurred in the town of Hmoud. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya described the incident as "painful and horrific" during a news conference. He labeled the attackers a "group of extremists." He added that the event was "unparalleled in the history of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan."

Authorities have not identified the suspects. They reportedly arrived by car, entered the church, and opened fire. No group has claimed responsibility. King Abdullah II stated that officials would "confront the terrorist act that targeted Karak with the harshest penalties." Early death counts fluctuated, with government spokespersons initially reporting six victims before returning to the final figure of seven.

Verified CCTV footage shows three men approaching the church. Two entered a vehicle entrance, retreated, and returned with a third man. All three appeared to carry handguns. Another clip from the aftermath showed dead and wounded individuals on the ground. Khalid al-Mdanat, a witness inside the church, said the shooting lasted about 15 minutes. He noted that people tried to flee while bullets were still flying. The gunmen exited through the doors and escaped in a pickup truck while firing.

Witnesses described chaos inside the building. People hid under pews and moved away from windows. One woman said gunfire began seconds after a prayer. She reported that the situation "continued to escalate for 10 continuous minutes." When she exited, she saw "bodies were all in the courtyards." Another witness described the noise as if "a war had just started."

Security forces closed nearby roads in Karak. Hospitals treated the wounded under heavy guard. Families gathered at the hospital entrance, crying and shouting. Residents expressed frustration, citing a "failure to take a tougher approach towards terrorists." King Abdullah II visited the injured patients to inspect the security measures in place.

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun condemned the event. He called it a "heinous terrorist attack" that "violated the sanctity of death and funeral mourners." He stated that the violence "contradicts all religious and humanitarian values," according to Lebanese media reports.