Seven killed, 34 wounded in shooting at Greek Orthodox church in Karak

Three gunmen attacked a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud on Friday, killing at least seven people during a funeral. Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya announced at a press conference that 34 others sustained injuries. He identified a group of extremists as the perpetrators of the assault in the Karak governorate.

The Public Security Directorate reported that the assailants exited a vehicle while a funeral procession was underway. They stormed the church compound and opened fire immediately. Security forces are currently conducting a manhunt to locate the shooters. The village of Hammoud lies 110 miles south of Amman and is home to a notable Christian population.

Footage from the state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka showed three men in casual attire entering the scene. Two of the gunmen held pistols, while a third carried a long gun. The video captured the attackers firing from a street-level entrance before advancing into the church grounds.

An eyewitness interviewed by Al-Mamlaka stated that the attackers fired continuously for five minutes before fleeing in their vehicle. The witness estimated that between 150 and 200 people were inside or near the church at the time. Most of the victims were between the ages of 50 and 70.

King Abdullah II pledged to deliver the harshest retaliation against those responsible. He posted on social media that every Jordanian life is precious and that the nation would strike with an iron fist against those who threaten it. Minister of Government Communications Mohammed Al-Momani confirmed that security forces are actively investigating the incident.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the shooting as a heinous terrorist attack. A statement from his presidency noted that the violence reaffirms the aim of terrorism to strike at coexistence. Aoun, the only Christian head of state in the Arab world, added that the attack spreads strife regardless of religion or homeland.

The Karak region experienced deadly violence in 2016 when gunmen ambushed police at a Crusader castle. That series of attacks resulted in the deaths of ten people, including seven officers. Security forces ended the standoff by killing the attackers after a lengthy engagement.