Six killed and 28 wounded as gunmen open fire during funeral at Greek Orthodox church in Jordan

At least six people were killed and 28 wounded when gunmen opened fire during a funeral procession at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud in southern Jordan on Friday, Jordan’s Public Security Directorate said.

The attack took place at the busy Hammoud Church in Karak governorate. A directorate spokesperson confirmed the toll and said the attack was carried out by “unknown assailants”, adding that the investigation was proceeding rapidly. The figure revises down an earlier toll of seven dead reported by state television Al-Mamlaka. (Arab News) (Straits Times)

Eyewitness Khaled Burqan told Al-Mamlaka that between 150 and 200 people were in and around the church at the time. He said the gunmen got out of a vehicle and fired continuously for around five minutes before fleeing, adding that most of the victims were aged between 50 and 70. (Arab News) (Al Jazeera)

Security forces were deployed at the church and a manhunt was under way for the suspects, Al-Mamlaka reported. Some of the wounded were critically injured. Jordan’s minister of government communications, Mohammed Al-Momani, said security forces were investigating the attack. (Vatican News)

King Abdullah II vowed the attack would be met with “the harshest retaliation”. “Those who delude themselves into thinking that they can divide Jordanians with their bullets have no chance in the face of our unity,” he said in a statement. “Every Jordanian life is precious, and we will strike with an iron fist against those who dare to threaten our nation.” (Arab News)

There was no immediate claim of responsibility and Jordanian authorities have not said who was responsible. It remains unclear whether the gunmen specifically targeted the Christian community, and no motive has been established. (Al Jazeera) (Vatican News)

Such attacks are extremely rare in Jordan. Christians, numbering about 300,000, make up a minority of Jordan’s population of roughly 11.5 million. Karak was the scene of a deadly ISIL assault in 2016 in which fighters holed up in the Crusader-era castle and killed 10 people, including security officers and a Canadian tourist. (Al Jazeera)