A funeral in Jordan turned into a scene of terror Friday when gunmen opened fire on mourners gathered at a Christian church, killing at least seven people and injuring 34 others in an attack that has shocked the Middle Eastern nation.
The deadly shooting unfolded October 23 at St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church in the village of Hamoud, located in Jordan’s southern Karak province, approximately 110 miles from the capital, Amman.
Families and friends had gathered to mourn a member of their community when armed attackers suddenly began firing toward the church, sending terrified worshippers scrambling for safety.
According to witnesses, the gunfire continued for several minutes as people desperately searched for places to hide.
One woman told CNN that she took cover behind the church altar alongside other mourners, fearing she would not survive.
She described the attack as a massacre, expressing disbelief that such violence could happen in a country where attacks targeting religious communities are relatively rare.
Another witness, Tamer Halasa, told Jordanian state television that more than 150 people were gathered inside and around the church when the shooting began.
He recalled seeing armed men approach the building before shots rang out.
Surveillance footage broadcast by Jordanian media appeared to show three attackers opening fire from the street before moving toward the church entrance.
Witnesses reported seeing firearms that included a rifle and a handgun, although authorities have not publicly established the precise number of attackers involved.
As the violence unfolded, emergency responders rushed to the scene while security forces moved into the surrounding area.
Injured mourners were transported to nearby hospitals, where medical personnel worked to treat victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Authorities initially reported conflicting casualty figures as information emerged from the chaotic scene.
During a Friday evening news conference, Jordan’s Public Security Directorate confirmed that seven people had died and 34 others were injured. Officials said many of those wounded remained hospitalized.
The country’s interior minister, Mazen Al-Faraya, described the shooting as a terrorist attack carried out by extremists.
However, investigators have not established whether the assailants were connected to an organized militant group, and no organization has publicly claimed responsibility.
Authorities launched an extensive search for the gunmen, who had not been reported captured at the time of the latest official update.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II strongly condemned the attack and promised that those responsible would face severe consequences.
“The blood of Jordanians is precious,” the king declared, pledging that his government would respond firmly to anyone threatening the country’s security.
The monarch also emphasized that the attackers would not succeed in dividing Jordanians along religious lines.
His remarks reflected growing concern over the apparent targeting of a Christian community in a country where Muslims and Christians have generally lived alongside one another peacefully.
Christians make up a small minority of Jordan’s population, estimated at roughly 2%, but their communities have deep historical roots in the region.
Karak is home to several longstanding Christian communities, including Greek Orthodox congregations whose churches have served local families for generations.
The funeral gathering was supposed to be an occasion for relatives and neighbors to come together in grief. Instead, families who had arrived to say goodbye to one loved one were confronted with an entirely new tragedy.
The shooting is especially alarming because attacks of this kind are uncommon in Jordan, which has remained relatively stable despite years of conflict and security threats across the surrounding region.
However, the country has experienced deadly extremist violence before.
In December 2016, armed militants carried out coordinated attacks in Karak, including an assault near a historic Crusader castle that killed security personnel and civilians.
Friday’s shooting has revived painful memories of that violence while raising renewed concerns about the safety of religious gatherings.
Government officials, lawmakers and religious leaders across Jordan have condemned the attack, offering condolences to the victims’ families and calling for national unity.
Authorities have pledged to continue their investigation until the people responsible are identified and brought to justice.
For now, families in Hamoud are mourning an unimaginable loss as investigators work to determine who carried out the shooting and why.
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