A rare attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Karak killed at least seven people and wounded 34 during a funeral Oct. 23, while security forces searched for the gunmen.
The Public Security Directorate said officers were searching for the attackers. It said they had driven to Hammoud village and fired at the church during a funeral. Public Security Director Abdullah Al-Maaytah reported seven fatalities and 34 injuries. He said 27 people remained under medical care.
A witness told Al-Mamlaka that an estimated 150 to 200 people were at the site. The witness said the gunmen kept firing for five minutes and most victims were 50 to 70 years old.
King Abdullah II visited wounded people at a local hospital and said on X the attack would bring “the harshest retaliation.” Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya said security services were looking for the attackers and described them as extremists. Officials and church leaders called for national unity.
AFP reported that Karak has a significant Christian community and Christians account for 2% to 3% of Jordan’s population. The agency also described attacks on places of worship in Jordan as rare. A 2016 attack on a security center and police patrols in Karak killed 10 people; four militants were later killed after barricading themselves in the historic castle.
