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Two gunmen arrived by vehicle and opened fire at mourners attending a funeral inside Hamoud Church in Jordan’s southern Karak governorate on Friday, killing seven people and wounding 10 others according to the state-owned Al-Mamlaka television channel. The Public Security Directorate confirmed that security forces had deployed to the scene and were pursuing the unidentified suspects, government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani said in statements carried by multiple outlets including the Associated Press. An eyewitness told Al-Mamlaka that the attackers, one carrying a rifle and the other a pistol, fired continuously for several minutes on a crowd estimated at between 150 and 200 people. Karak lies roughly 110 miles south of Amman and is home to part of the country’s minority Christian community, the AP noted in its coverage of the incident.
Al-Mamlaka reported that the shooting occurred as the funeral procession for a woman was underway at the Greek Orthodox church in a Christian village north of Karak, with many of those hit aged between 50 and 70. Some of the injured were in critical condition, a security source told the broadcaster, while the final casualty toll could change as details emerge from hospitals. The New Arab cited the same state television account that placed the death toll at seven with about 10 wounded. No motive has been established and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Jordan’s Public Security Directorate described the event as an incident involving deaths and injuries without initially releasing specific figures, Reuters reported. Mohammad al-Momani urged the public to rely on official statements and allow investigators to work, adding that further information would be released once verified. Petra News Agency confirmed that casualties had occurred at the church but deferred to other state media for the breakdown of those killed and hurt. Live footage from the area showed security personnel cordoning off the site as the manhunt continued.
Such shootings at places of worship are extremely rare in Jordan, a country regarded as relatively stable within the region despite occasional security challenges, the Straits Times observed in its dispatch from the scene. The kingdom’s Christian minority, which accounts for roughly 2 percent of the population according to long-standing demographic data tracked by regional authorities, maintains protected status under the constitution with representation in public life. Karak itself has historical significance as a site with biblical connections that draws Christian pilgrims, though authorities have not linked Friday’s violence to any sectarian tensions.
Government communication minister Mohammad Hussein al-Momani, as he is also known in some reports, reiterated that security agencies were responding on the ground and would issue an official account after completing initial inquiries, Gulf News said. Witnesses described the gunmen stepping from their car and targeting people both inside and outside the church before fleeing, leaving security services to track them across the governorate. The incident has drawn condemnation from officials who stressed the need to maintain public calm while the investigation proceeds. No arrests had been announced several hours after the shooting.
International coverage from outlets including Al Bawaba and the National highlighted that the victims included attendees at the funeral of a local woman, with one relative telling reporters the gunmen fired directly at the crowd before escaping. Jordan has experienced few attacks of this nature in recent memory, a point underscored by diplomatic observers monitoring the kingdom’s internal security. The Public Security Directorate continues to lead the response, with al-Momani confirming that all updates would flow through verified government channels to avoid misinformation.
