Karak Church Shooting: Five-Minute Barrage Claims Seven Lives

Gunmen stormed the compound of a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud on Friday, killing at least seven people during a funeral. Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya announced at a press conference that 34 others were wounded in the incident. He identified a group of extremists as the responsible party for the assault.

The attack occurred in Karak governorate, a region 110 miles south of Amman with a large Christian population. The public security directorate reported that the assailants exited a vehicle and opened fire on mourners. State broadcaster Al-Mamlaka aired footage showing two attackers in casual clothing holding pistols and a third carrying a long gun. They fired from a street entrance before advancing into the compound.

An eyewitness told Al-Mamlaka that the attackers fired without pause for five minutes before escaping in their vehicle. The witness estimated that 150 to 200 people were present in and around the church. Most of the victims were between the ages of 50 and 70. A manhunt for the perpetrators is currently underway.

King Abdullah II pledged the "harshest retaliation" against those responsible. He stated on social media that every Jordanian life is precious and that the nation would strike with an iron fist against those threatening it. Minister of Government Communications Mohammed Al-Momani confirmed that security forces are investigating the attack.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the only Christian head of state in the Arab world, condemned the shooting. In a presidency statement, he called it a "heinous terrorist attack" and said it reaffirmed that terrorism aims to strike at coexistence and spread strife. He noted that terrorism has no religion or homeland.

Violence in Karak is not new. In 2016, gunmen ambushed police in a series of attacks in the area, including at a Crusader castle. Ten people died in that incident, seven of whom were officers. Security forces killed the attackers after a lengthy standoff.