Jafar Hassan: Jordan to Pursue Gunmen Who Killed Nine at Karak Church
Prime Minister Jafar Hassan and King Abdullah ordered an immediate security response after three attackers opened fire during a funeral at St. George's Greek Orthodox church on Friday.
By Yasmin Duda ·
Nine people died and 40 were wounded when three gunmen attacked a funeral service at St. George's Greek Orthodox church in the town of Hamoud, Karak governorate, on Friday.
Maj. Gen. Abdallah al-Maaytah, who leads the Public Security Directorate, confirmed that most of the injured were receiving medical treatment. He stated that security forces were still searching for the attackers. Health Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh verified the number of injured at 40. Al Farrayeh labeled the incident the work of extremists, though he noted it was too early to confirm links to specific groups inside or outside the country. No organization has yet claimed responsibility.
Footage verified by Reuters showed the attackers firing from a pavement, using trees and a low wall for cover before moving toward the church entrance. Witness Theodoros Soueiss, a priest at the scene, told those present to get down as bullets flew. He described the gunfire as indiscriminate. Khaled Burqan, a funeral attendee, said the shooting lasted several minutes. Ihab Ammareen, another witness, recalled seeing bloodied people collapse on the floor while others screamed.
Prime Minister Jafar Hassan posted on X that the attack was a result of terrorist ideology. King Abdullah traveled to Karak within hours of the shooting. He promised the perpetrators would be punished with an iron fist and said those trying to divide the nation with bullets had no chance. The US embassy in Amman reported on Saturday that security had been increased at malls, foreign embassies, and other sites across Jordan.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the violence, stating that attacks on civilians and places of worship are unacceptable. Mike Waltz, the US ambassador to the UN, called the incident a depraved and brutal attack on a house of worship. Jordan is home to a Christian minority and several biblical sites that attract international pilgrims. US authorities have recently foiled multiple attempted attacks by Islamist militants in the region.
Outside a government hospital in Karak, Hani Al-Mbaydeen, who was gathering to support the wounded, asked the state to investigate how dark ideas enter the minds of children.
The government has deployed security forces to the area, and the search for the remaining suspects continues.
Source: The Guardian
