Karak Church Shooting: King Abdullah Orders Firm Hunt for Suspects
Eight people died and 40 were injured when gunmen fired during a funeral in a Greek Orthodox church, prompting a national security sweep.
By Samir Doyle ·
King Abdullah directed Jordan’s security forces to pursue a hardline response against the gunmen who killed eight people at a church in Karak governorate. The royal court issued the order following the shooting, which also left 40 others wounded. The monarch traveled to the region within hours of the incident to oversee the effort.
The attack occurred on Friday at a Greek Orthodox church located roughly 120 kilometers southwest of Amman. Gunmen opened fire in broad daylight while a funeral was taking place inside the building. The shooting continued for several minutes before the attackers left the scene. Jordanian authorities labeled the incident an act of extremist terrorism. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the violence.
Security forces have intensified patrols around shopping malls, foreign embassies, and other key sites across the country. The US embassy in Amman confirmed the increased security presence. Investigators are currently searching for the perpetrators. Officials stated that it is too early to determine if the shooters have connections to known organizations inside or outside Jordan. The government has declared three days of national mourning.
Nasser al-Burqan, a lawyer who survived the shooting, described the chaos to Reuters. He said one attacker stood about two meters away and aimed a handgun at him. Al-Burqan later learned his son, who was also present, was shot in the leg and is receiving hospital treatment. After the gunfire stopped, Al-Burqan saw two assailants through a window. One wore a mask, and the other carried a handgun without covering his face.
Tarek Ammarin, a relative of an injured victim, called the event a massacre in every sense. Bahjat al-Rushda, the mayor of Shihan village in Karak, condemned the attack as wicked and expressed hope that the country would remain safe. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan wrote on social media that the attack resulted from a terrorist ideology and blind extremism. He added that society would not be allowed to follow that path. King Abdullah vowed that the perpetrators would be punished with an iron fist.
Video footage from Saturday showed police patrolling the exterior of the church. Attacks of this nature are rare in the region, though authorities say they have foiled multiple plots by violent groups in recent years. Karak is home to a small Christian population. Jordan also hosts several biblical sites that attract Christian pilgrims from around the world. The next step involves the continued nationwide search for the suspects.
