Seven Mourners Killed in Five-Minute Barrage at Jordan Church

Gunmen opened fire on a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud, southern Jordan, on Friday, killing at least seven people during a funeral procession. Authorities described the assault as a rare violent incident targeting Christians in the majority Sunni Muslim kingdom. The shooting lasted for five minutes before the attackers fled the scene.

Mazen Al-Faraya, the interior minister, stated at a press conference that 34 individuals were wounded in the attack. He identified a group of extremists as the perpetrators. The public security directorate reported that the assailants arrived in a vehicle, stepped out, and stormed the church compound before opening fire. A manhunt for the gunmen is currently underway.

State broadcaster Al-Mamlaka aired footage showing three attackers at the scene. Two men wore casual clothing and held pistols, while a third carried a long gun. They fired from a street-level entrance before advancing into the compound. An eyewitness told the broadcaster that the attackers fired without pause for five minutes. The witness estimated that between 150 and 200 people were inside or around the church at the time of the attack.

The eyewitness noted that most of the victims were between the ages of 50 and 70. Mohammed Al-Momani, the minister of government communications, confirmed that security forces are investigating the incident. Karak governorate, which contains a large Christian population, is located 110 miles south of the capital, Amman.

King Abdullah II vowed harsh retaliation against those responsible for the killings. On social media, he stated that every Jordanian life is precious and that the nation would strike with an iron fist against those threatening its security. He emphasized the need for a strong response to the attack.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the only Christian head of state in the Arab world, condemned the shooting as a heinous terrorist attack. In a statement from his presidency, Aoun said the violence reaffirms that terrorism has no specific religion or homeland and aims to strike at coexistence and spread strife.

The Karak region has experienced deadly violence in the past. In 2016, gunmen ambushed police in a series of attacks, including one at a Crusader castle. Those attacks resulted in the deaths of ten people, seven of whom were officers, and left dozens wounded. Security forces ended the incident after a lengthy standoff.