Gunmen open fire at Christian funeral in southern Jordan

At least seven people were killed and 34 others injured in a violent attack on a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud, Karak governorate, Jordan, during a funeral service on Friday ^[1][5][6]. The assailants, reportedly two men with pistols and a third with a long gun, arrived in a vehicle, stormed the church compound, and opened fire before fleeing the scene ^[3]. Footage aired by Jordan’s state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka shows the gunmen in casual clothing brandishing weapons and charging toward the church entrance.

Initial reports from state media cited seven deaths, but the public security directorate later stated the number of fatalities was six and the number of wounded was 28 ^[3]. This revised figure has not been confirmed by other sources, which report seven dead and up to 34 injured ^[5][6]. Between 150 and 200 people were present at the time, many of them elderly, with victims aged between 50 and 70.

According to one source, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack ^[3]. The attack is rare in Jordan, a predominantly Sunni Muslim country with a Christian minority of 2–3%. Karak is home to a notable Christian community and hosts several biblical sites visited by pilgrims. The country previously saw violence in 2016 when militants attacked a security centre in Karak, killing seven security personnel and a female tourist.

Jordan’s King Abdullah vowed that those responsible would be punished with 'an iron fist' ^[3]. Government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani confirmed security forces are conducting a manhunt. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack as a 'heinous terrorist attack' and stressed that terrorism targets coexistence, not religion.

The attack marks a rare escalation against a place of worship in Jordan, with authorities now investigating the motive and possible links to extremist networks. The story was first reported by BBC News and Sky News.