Jordan church funeral shooting: Seven killed by gunmen in Karak
Gunmen opened fire at a church funeral in Jordan's Karak governorate, leaving seven people dead and at least 34 others injured.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Gunmen attacked a funeral inside a church in Hmoud, Karak governorate, central Jordan.
- The attack resulted in seven fatalities and at least 34 injuries among mourners.
- Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya described the perpetrators as a group of extremists.
- CCTV footage verified by the BBC captured three armed suspects approaching the church.
A deadly shooting during a funeral service at a church in central Jordan has left the local community in shock, as officials confirm a heavy toll of casualties in an exceptionally rare act of violence for the nation.
The incident unfolded on Friday in the village of Hmoud, located within the Karak governorate. Witnesses estimated that between 150 and 200 people were gathered inside the church to pay their final respects before the armed assault began.
Khaled Burqan, one of the mourners present at the service, told Jordan's state-run al-Mamlaka television that two attackers armed with a rifle and a pistol fired upon the crowd for several minutes. Following initial conflicting reports from government sources that briefly revised the death toll to six, officials ultimately confirmed that seven people lost their lives, alongside at least 34 injuries.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
"Whoever imagines that the bullets of treachery can divide the ranks of Jordanians will fail in his endeavour before our steadfastness and unity,"
The King of Jordan
Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya announced during a news conference that authorities are actively pursuing the perpetrators, whom he categorized as a "group of extremists." Meanwhile, the king posted a statement on X condemning the act and traveled to Karak on Friday evening to check on the condition of those hospitalized.
While Jordan generally maintains a stable security environment with a predominantly Muslim population, the Karak governorate is home to a sizable Christian community. Violent assaults on places of worship are remarkably uncommon in the country, making this incident a profound shock that has ignited deep anger and grief among local residents and victims' families.
CCTV footage verified by the BBC shows three suspects walking from a road toward the church grounds. Two of the individuals initially entered a vehicle entrance before retreating momentarily and returning with a third man, all appearing to carry handguns. Heavy security forces were deployed outside the local hospital as distraught families gathered amid a tense atmosphere.
Source: BBC World
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