At least seven people were killed and another 34 injured on Friday, October 23, when several armed men opened fire on mourners at the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint George, located in the town of Hamoud, in the province of Karak, southern Jordan. The country’s authorities have described the incident as a terrorist attack and have launched a manhunt to apprehend those responsible.
The casualty figures were confirmed by the Jordanian Public Security Directorate during a press conference held on Friday afternoon. Its director, Obaidullah al-Maaytah, reported seven fatalities and 34 wounded, several of whom remained hospitalized.
Attackers opened fire during a funeral
The attack occurred while dozens of people were gathered inside the church and its surroundings to attend a funeral service. According to testimonies collected by Jordanian television, the assailants arrived in a vehicle, opened fire on the mourners, and then fled the scene.
Footage released by local media shows three armed men, two of them with handguns and a third with a long gun, shooting from the vicinity of the church. One witness stated that the gunfire lasted about five minutes.
At the time of the attack, numerous people were inside the church and in its immediate area. The shots caused scenes of panic among those present, while emergency services transported the wounded to various medical facilities.
Security forces deployed a large operation in the area and began a search to locate those responsible. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya attributed the attack to a group of extremists, although he did not identify any specific organization.
So far, Jordanian authorities have not publicly confirmed the authorship of the attack or the motives that led the assailants to target the church.
King Abdullah II vows to pursue those responsible
King Abdullah II condemned the attack and stated that its perpetrators would receive the most forceful response from Jordanian authorities.
“The blood of Jordanians is precious, and we will strike with an iron fist anyone who dares to threaten our country,” the monarch declared, insisting that those responsible would not succeed in breaking national unity.
The Interior Minister also condemned the massacre during his public appearance and assured that the country would not allow terrorism and extremism to disrupt coexistence among its citizens.
Authorities have strengthened security measures while the investigation continues. The Jordanian government has declared three days of mourning for the victims.
The attack has shocked Jordan, a predominantly Sunni Muslim country that is home to Christian communities with a long historical tradition. Although attacks on churches are infrequent, the province of Karak suffered a series of terrorist attacks in December 2016 that left ten people dead, including several security officers.
The Patriarchate of Jerusalem and Aid to the Church in Need condemn the massacre
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, to which the targeted community belongs, expressed its condemnation of the attack and conveyed its condolences to the families of the deceased and to the entire Jordanian people.
In its statement, the Patriarchate expressed confidence that security forces would succeed in apprehending those responsible and affirmed that this crime would not destroy the unity of Jordanian society.
It also called on the faithful to remain steadfast in prayer during these moments of grief and recalled the importance of preserving coexistence between Christians and Muslims.
For its part, the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need expressed its “deep sadness” over the attack and conveyed its solidarity with Jordan’s Christians, especially the Greek Orthodox community, the victims, and their families.
The organization noted that it is in contact with the local Church to learn the circumstances of the attack and recalled that Christian communities are an essential part of the country’s religious and cultural heritage.
In its message, it prayed for the eternal rest of the deceased, the recovery of the wounded, and the consolation of their families, while inviting prayers for peace in the Middle East.
The massacre has struck one of Jordan’s historic Christian communities, whose faithful were gathered to bid farewell to a deceased person when they were attacked. Seven people lost their lives in a place of worship during a religious ceremony, while authorities continue to search for those responsible for an attack that has once again highlighted the vulnerability of Christian communities in the Middle East.