Gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in southern Jordan on Friday, killing seven people and injuring 34, according to a later police update carried by the official Petra news agency.
The attack struck Hamoud Church in Karak governorate as mourners gathered to bury a loved one. Jordan’s Public Security Directorate initially reported six deaths and 28 injuries before Petra’s breaking-news feed carried the higher figures, attributed to the directorate’s chief.
Security forces launched a search for the attackers. According to the directorate’s account reported by CBS News, the gunmen arrived in a vehicle and opened fire during the funeral procession at the church compound.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II condemned the attack and pledged action against those responsible.
“Every Jordanian life is precious, and we will strike with an iron fist against those who dare to threaten our nation,” he wrote on social media, according to CBS News.
Authorities were working to identify the gunmen and establish the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
“Investigations are underway in full swing, and we will update you with the results as they develop,” a Public Security Directorate spokesperson said, according to Roya News.
Jordanian leaders described the shooting as terrorism, but the available official accounts had not established a specific motive or identified the attackers’ affiliation.
Karak is home to a longstanding Christian community in predominantly Muslim Jordan. Pray for the wounded, the grieving families and the congregation devastated by the attack.
This is a developing story. Casualty figures and other details may change.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
