In brief
Gunmen stormed a church in Hmoud, central Jordan, and opened fire on a funeral gathering, killing seven and wounding at least 34. The attackers arrived in a vehicle, entered the church, and fled after the shooting. Interior Minister Mazen al‑Faraya described the assailants as extremists and pledged a swift response, while King Abdullah II condemned the attack and vowed harsh penalties. CCTV footage released by the BBC shows the gunmen entering the church and firing before fleeing in a pickup truck. The incident has raised alarms over security in Jordan’s largely Christian minority communities.
Seven people were killed when gunmen opened fire on a church funeral in Hmoud, Karak governorate.
At least 34 others were wounded as the attackers fired inside the church on Friday, according to local officials.
The gunmen, reported to have arrived in a private vehicle, entered the church and opened fire before escaping in a pickup truck. No organization has claimed responsibility for the bombing.
Interior Minister Mazen al‑Faraya said authorities were working to apprehend the perpetrators, describing them as a “group of extremists.”
King Abdullah II pledged that the state would “confront the terrorist act that targeted Karak with the harshest penalties.”
Initial death tolls were revised from six to seven, as hospital officials confirmed the fatalities.
Verifiable CCTV footage shows three gunmen approaching the church, entering and firing before retreating. The footage also captures the chaotic aftermath with several bodies and wounded individuals on the ground.
Witnesses reported panic inside the building, with people diving under pews and away from windows. “The sound of machine guns started, and the scene was catastrophic,” one woman recounted.
Al‑Mdanat, who was attending the funeral, told BBC Arabic that the shooting lasted about 15 minutes while people tried to flee. He added that the gunmen fired as they fled the building in a pickup truck.
The incident has heightened tensions in Karak, home to a sizable Christian minority in a largely Muslim country. Security was increased in front of the local hospital, where many injured were treated, and roads were closed around the facility.
International reactions included comments from Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun, who condemned the attack as a violation of “the sanctity of death and funeral mourners.”
