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Gunmen Kill Seven, Wound 34 in Jordan Church Attack
· Confirmed
In Short: All reports agree that the attack was a rare incident targeting Jordan’s Christian minority, highlighting the significance of the event for interfaith solidarity and coexistence in the region.
Al Jazeera (Qatar) and Abc (Australia) reported that gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox Church in the village of Hamoud, located in Karak, Jordan, approximately 120km south of Amman. The attack left seven dead and 34 injured.
According to Al Jazeera (Qatar), the Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya described the attack as 'unprecedented' and 'terrorist,' emphasizing that the perpetrators had 'no relationship to humanity.' Abc (Australia) also reported that the attack was carried out by unidentified gunmen.
France24 (France) and Timesofisrael (Israel) confirmed that the attack took place in the Karak governorate, with France24 specifying that the attack was on a Greek Orthodox Church during a funeral. Timesofisrael reported that the attack was a rare incident targeting Jordan's Christian minority.
The number of wounded varies slightly between reports. Al Jazeera (Qatar) reported 27 wounded receiving treatment, while Abc (Australia) and France24 (France) reported 34 wounded. The Health Ministry of Jordan, as reported by Thenationalnews, stated that 27 people were still receiving treatment in hospitals.
The attack occurred during a funeral procession, a fact noted by both Al Jazeera (Qatar) and Abc (Australia). Al Jazeera (Qatar) highlighted the significance of the attack for Jordan’s Christian population and its role as a custodian of holy sites in Jerusalem.
The search for the gunmen is ongoing, according to Al Jazeera (Qatar). Director of Jordan’s Public Security Directorate Obaidullah Al-Maaytah pledged that the perpetrators would be caught and that national unity would not be compromised.
The United Arab Emirates foreign ministry condemned the attack, describing it as 'terrorist and criminal acts' that aim to undermine security and stability.
The attack was condemned internationally, with the UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stating that an attack on a place of worship during a funeral procession is especially heinous.
The attack underscores the ongoing threat of terrorism in the region and the importance of maintaining security and stability in Jordan.
What this adds
The attack on the church in Jordan is a significant event that highlights the ongoing challenges of maintaining interfaith peace and security in the region. The lack of a claim of responsibility adds to the complexity of the situation.
Background
King Abdullah II of Jordan called the incident a 'terrorist attack' and vowed 'harshest retaliation' against the perpetrators.
One person was killed and eight injured in an attack on Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
What's confirmed
- Director of Jordan’s Public Security Directorate Obaidullah Al-Maaytah told a press conference on Friday that seven people are confirmed dead after the assault on a Greek Orthodox Church in the village of Hamoud. Twenty-seven of the wounded were receiving treatment in hospitals, he said.
- Without naming a specific group, Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya told the press conference that the “terrorist” attack was “unprecedented” and was perpetrated by a group with “no relationship to humanity”.
- At least seven people have been killed, and 34 others wounded, in an attack in Jordan’s Karak governorate that saw gunmen open fire during a funeral at a church.
- Jordan’s Public Security Directorate said unidentified gunmen opened fire inside a church in Karak province.
- JERUSALEM — Gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a church in Jordan on Friday, killing seven people and wounding 40 others, authorities said.
- The UAE Foreign Ministry said the drone attack constituted "a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia and a threat to its security and stability."
What's still developing
- Karak, located about 120km (75 miles) south of the capital Amman, is home to “Christians and Muslims who have lived side by side for generations”, Taylor Luck, senior Middle East correspondent at the Christian Science Monitor, told Al Jazeera.
- “The blood of Jordanians is precious, and we will strike with an iron fist against anyone who overreaches against this country,” he said in a post on X.
- “This community prides themselves on its interfaith solidarity and coexistence,” Luck said.
- There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
- “This is something that goes totally against the message that Jordan wants to give to the world,” Abu Eid said.
- The attack on Friday, October 23, killed at least seven people and wounded 40 others, according to reports citing Jordanian authorities.
- AMMAN, Jordan — Gunmen killed at least seven people and wounded dozens at a church in southern Jordan on Friday, authorities said, with the king vowing retaliation for the rare attack on Christians in the majority Sunni Muslim kingdom.
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- Prime Minister Jafar Hassan said at a news conference the attack was “the result of terrorist takfiri ideology,” referring to a view that effectively allows one Muslim to declare another an apostate.