Seven people lost their lives as a result of an armed attack on the Hamoud Church in Karak province, Jordan, and 34 others were injured. This incident occurred during a funeral ceremony on Friday and is recognized as a rare attack against the Christian minority in Jordan.
Details of the Incident and Officials' Reactions
General Abdullah Al-Maaitah, head of Jordan's Public Security Directorate, announced at a press conference in Karak that most of the injured are still receiving treatment and the search for identifying and apprehending the attackers is ongoing. The Minister of Interior, Mazin Al-Fraihat, also described this attack as the work of "extremists" and stated that it is still unclear whether these individuals have connections to known groups inside or outside of Jordan.
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A video captured by the church's security cameras shows three individuals shooting towards the church from the side of the street, taking cover behind trees and low walls. In this video, the attackers flee after shooting towards the church entrance. Images released from the scene show bloodshed near the church entrance and the presence of security forces in the area.
Public Reactions and Security Implications
Eyewitnesses like Khaled Barqan, who was present at the funeral, reported that dozens of people were at the site and the attackers fired at them for several minutes. Ihab Ammarin, another witness, emphasized that after the shooting, people fell to the ground and cries and screams echoed in the area.
King Abdullah II of Jordan visited Karak hours after the incident and stated that the perpetrators of this attack would be punished "with an iron fist." He said in a statement: "This terrorist attack against Karak will face the strongest reactions. Those who think they can divide Jordanians with their bullets have no chance against our unity."
Jordan is generally considered a stable country, and such attacks are very rare there. However, Jordanian officials have stated that in recent years, several potential attacks by Islamic extremists have been thwarted.
The Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs of Jordan, Mohammad Khalileh, and several parliament representatives condemned the attack, viewing it as indicative of the security challenges in the country. Additionally, Mike Walts, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, described the attack as "an inhumane and brutal assault on a place of worship."
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