Three Gunmen Kill Nine at Karak Church

Three armed men opened fire at St George's Greek Orthodox church in the town of Hamoud on Friday, killing nine people during a funeral service. The attack targeted the small Christian minority in a country that has long been viewed as stable. Forty others were wounded in the exchange, according to the health minister.

Security officials confirmed the incident as a terrorist act carried out by extremists. Maj Gen Abdallah al-Maaytah, head of the Public Security Directorate, stated that most of the injured were receiving treatment. He added that the search for the attackers continued immediately after the gunfire ceased.

Footage from a security camera at the church showed the three gunmen firing from a pavement. They sheltered behind trees and a low wall before running toward the building's entrance. Reuters verified the video by matching the entry path and surrounding details to the physical location.

Witnesses described a scene of chaos inside the church. Priest Theodoros Soueiss said he and others urged the congregation to get down on the floor. He noted that a sense of panic took hold among those present. The gunfire was indiscriminate, and people did not know where a bullet might land.

Khaled Burqan, a funeral attendee, told state television that dozens of people were gathered inside. He said the gunmen fired for several minutes. Ihab Ammareen, another witness, saw bloodied people collapse on the floor. He described the scene as one of crying, wailing, and screaming that was hard to describe.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan ordered a nationwide security sweep in response to the attack. He wrote on social media that the violence was a result of a terrorist ideology and blind extremism. He promised that society would not be allowed to go down that path. Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh said it was too early to determine if the attackers had ties to known groups inside or outside Jordan.

King Abdullah visited Karak within hours of the shooting. He promised that the perpetrators would be punished with an iron fist. He stated that those who think they can divide Jordanians with bullets have no chance in the face of unity. The US embassy in Amman said security had been stepped up at malls, foreign embassies, and other locations across the country on Saturday.

Jordan is home to several biblical sites that draw pilgrims from around the world. Christians remain a minority in the nation. US authorities have repeatedly foiled attempted attacks by Islamist militants in recent years. The country was also among the US allies in the region hit by Iranian attacks this year after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February.

Outside a government hospital in Karak, Hani Al-Mbaydeen gathered with others to support the wounded. He said the state must investigate where such dark ideas come from. He questioned how they enter the minds of their children. The UN secretary general condemned the violence, calling attacks on civilians and places of worship unacceptable.