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Seven people were killed and 34 others injured when gunmen attacked a Greek Orthodox church in Jordan during a funeral on Friday.
The attack took place in a village in the Hamoud area of the Karak Governorate, according to Obeidullah al-Maaytah, director of Jordan’s Public Security Directorate. He confirmed seven deaths and said at least 27 injured people were receiving treatment in hospital.
Al-Maaytah said a manhunt was underway to arrest the attackers, adding, “They will be apprehended. We will not allow our national unity to be undermined.”
Survivors said the funeral procession had just begun when a loud bang was heard. Suspected gunmen then entered the church and opened fire indiscriminately for several minutes.
Jordan’s state-owned Al-Mamlaka TV reported that security forces had been deployed at the church following the attack.
Khaled Burqan, who attended the funeral, told the television channel that several people were present when the attack began suddenly. One suspected attacker was carrying a pistol, while the other had a rifle, he said.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Jordanian Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya described it as a “terrorist attack.”
Speaking at a news conference without naming any specific group, al-Faraya called it an unprecedented terrorist attack, saying it was carried out by a group that had “no connection with humanity.”
“Our country will never be dragged into terrorism and violence,” he added. Source: Agencies.
Earlier, Jordan’s King Abdullah II pledged to take tough action against those responsible.
The region has witnessed deadly attacks in the past. In 2016, Islamic State (IS) militants killed at least 10 people, including security personnel and a Canadian tourist, after taking up positions at an ancient castle in Karak. The attackers were subsequently killed in a gunfight with Jordanian security forces. Source: Agencies.
