Six people were killed and 28 injured on Friday when gunmen opened fire during a funeral service at a Greek Orthodox church in southern Jordan, the kingdom’s Public Security Directorate said. The Jordan church attack struck St George’s Church in the village of Hamoud, in Karak governorate, as mourners gathered for the funeral of a local woman.
State television Al-Mamlaka first reported the shooting on Friday afternoon, saying two gunmen stepped out of a vehicle and opened fire on the funeral procession. Jordanian officials later put the toll at six dead and 28 wounded, revising an earlier state-media report of seven killed.
Two gunmen fired on mourners for several minutes
Witnesses said one attacker carried a rifle and the other a pistol. The firing continued for about five minutes while between 150 and 200 people were in and around the church, according to accounts carried by Al-Mamlaka.
Khaled Burqan, who attended the funeral, told the channel the two men shot at mourners for several minutes. Tamer Halasa, another witness, said more than 150 people had been inside and outside the church. A relative of one of the dead told The National that three doctors were among those killed and that most of the victims were aged between 50 and 70.
Some reports said the gunmen stormed the church compound before firing. Al Jazeera reported that the attackers were masked, while CNN said security-camera footage circulating on social media showed gunmen firing on a street before heading toward the church.
Security forces hunt the gunmen
Security forces deployed at the church within hours, and a manhunt is under way for the suspects. Government spokesperson Mohammad Al-Momani said security services were investigating the shooting and that the unidentified gunmen were being pursued.
No group has claimed responsibility, and Jordanian authorities have not named a suspect. Some of the injured remain in critical condition, officials said.
King Abdullah condemned the shooting as a terrorist attack and vowed the harshest retaliation against those responsible. “Every Jordanian life is precious, and we will strike with an iron fist against those who dare to threaten our nation,” he wrote on X, offering condolences to the families of the dead and wishing the injured a speedy recovery, The National reported.
Why this Jordan church attack is so rare
Gun violence of this kind is extremely rare in Jordan, a country widely seen as one of the Middle East’s most stable states. Christians, numbering about 300,000 in a population of roughly 11.5 million, form a small minority, though the country hosts several biblical sites that draw pilgrims from around the world.
Karak has known violence before. In 2016, gunmen linked to the ISIL group attacked police and a Crusader-era castle in the area, killing 10 people, including seven officers and a Canadian tourist. Friday’s funeral attack is the most serious assault in the kingdom since then.
The attack also comes during a tense week for the wider region. Both Geo News and The National noted that Jordan has come under Iranian attacks this year since US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February. Feature Pakistan has reported this week on Iranian strikes on American bases in Bahrain and Jordan, the deadly Houthi strike on Riyadh airport, the recent attack on King Fahd airport in Dammam and oil surging past $110 as Washington ordered diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia. Against that backdrop, a mass shooting at a village church stands out as an unusual and alarming departure from Jordan’s normally calm security picture.
What happens next
Authorities have not announced arrests. Investigators are working to identify the gunmen and their motive, and security remains tight around the church. The community of Hamoud, a predominantly Christian village, now faces the task of burying its dead while answers remain scarce.
Frequently asked questions
Where did the Jordan church attack happen?
At St George’s Greek Orthodox Church in Hamoud village, Karak governorate, about 100 kilometres south of the capital, Amman. The gunmen opened fire during a funeral service on Friday, October 23.
How many people were killed?
Jordan’s Public Security Directorate said six people were killed and 28 injured. State television initially reported seven dead and around 10 wounded, but the security agency later revised the figures.
