Attack during funeral
Seven people were killed and 40 others injured after gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, southern Jordan, on Friday, October 23.
The attack occurred shortly after the funeral began. Footage broadcast by Jordanian state television showed several armed individuals approaching the church and firing, according to the “Associated Press”
Jordan’s Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour said two of the wounded were in critical condition. The casualty figure was reported by the Associated Press; an earlier “Reuters report”
Investigation underway
Authorities said investigations were ongoing, and the attackers’ identities and any links to established militant groups had not been confirmed in the initial reports.
Jordan’s Prime Minister Jafar Hassan attributed the attack to extremist ideology, while the government said the assailants were unknown. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
King Abdullah II condemned the violence and vowed severe punishment for those responsible. The government also declared three days of national mourning.
A rare attack in Jordan
The shooting took place in Karak, about 180 kilometres south of Amman, an area with a Christian minority. The attack has raised fresh concerns about security and religiously motivated violence in the country.
Karak experienced deadly militant attacks in 2016, when gunmen killed 10 people, including seven police officers. However, authorities have not established a link between those earlier attacks and Friday’s shooting.
The investigation is expected to clarify who carried out the attack and whether it was connected to a wider extremist network.
