Eight killed in Jordanian church attack as security sweeps expand

Eight people died and 40 others were wounded when gunmen opened fire at a Greek Orthodox church in the Karak governorate on Friday. The shooting occurred during a funeral in broad daylight and lasted for several minutes. Jordanian authorities described the incident as an act of extremist terrorism. The location is approximately 120 kilometers southwest of Amman.

King Abdullah traveled to Karak within hours of the attack. He instructed security forces to hunt down those responsible and respond firmly. The monarch vowed that the perpetrators would be punished with an iron fist. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan stated that the attack resulted from terrorist ideology and blind extremism. He added that the nation would not allow society to follow that path.

Jordan declared three days of national mourning following the deaths. The state-run Petra News Agency reported the decree. Officials indicated it was too early to determine if the attackers had ties to specific groups inside or outside the country. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the violence.

Security measures increased across the country after the shooting. The US embassy in Amman reported heightened presence at shopping malls, foreign embassies, and other sites. Police were seen patrolling outside the church in video footage released on Saturday. Authorities continue to search for the perpetrators.

Nasser al-Burqan, a lawyer who survived the attack, told Reuters that one attacker stood about two meters away and aimed a handgun at him. He later learned his son had been shot in the leg while attending the mass. Al-Burqan said he saw two assailants through a window after the gunfire stopped. One was masked, and the other carried a handgun without a mask.

Tarek Ammarin, whose relative was injured, described the event as a massacre in every sense. Bahjat al-Rushda, the mayor of Shihan village in Karak, condemned the attack as wicked. He stated that the country would remain safe if God willing. Karak is home to a minority Christian population. Jordan contains several biblical sites that attract Christian pilgrims from around the world.

Attacks of this nature are rare in the country. Jordan is a US partner in the fight against violent armed groups in the region. Authorities said they have repeatedly foiled plots by groups driven by a strict interpretation of Islam in recent years.