BEIRUT — At least seven people were killed and 34 were injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a church in Jordan, in what authorities said was a terrorist attack.
Footage from the scene, shown on state-owned Al-Mamlaka TV, showed three gunmen opening fire at the entrance of the Hamoud Greek Orthodox church in the southern Jordanian district of Karak, before storming in. The broadcaster reported that more than a hundred people had gathered in and around the church for a funeral procession.
Jordan’s state news agency said police were pursuing suspects.
Some among the injured were in critical condition, the broadcaster reported.
No group claimed immediate responsibility for the attack. Authorities said it was carried out by “extremists.” Jordan’s King Abdullah II called the shooting a “terrorist attack” and vowed to go after the perpetrators.
“Every Jordanian life is precious, and we will strike with an iron fist against those who dare to threaten our nation,” he said in a statement posted to social media, before visiting Karak.
Other officials sought to reassure the country’s Christian community. Senate Speaker Faisal Al-Fayez said in a statement that Jordan “is a model for Muslim-Christian fraternity.”
“Terrorism has no religion and no homeland,” said Prime Minister Jafar Hassan.
The kingdom later declared three days of mourning. The attack was condemned by neighboring Arab countries as well as U.N. Secretary General António Guterres.
Friday’s attack was one of the deadliest on Christians in the region since the June 2025 suicide bombing at St. Elias church in Damascus, which killed at least 25 people and injured 63.
Jordan has one of the oldest Christian communities, and the country takes its name from the river that runs along its border with Israel and the West Bank, where Jesus is believed to have been baptized. The river draws pilgrims from around the world.
Karak is one of the few predominantly Christian areas in the Muslim-majority kingdom, and it is home to a 12th-century crusader fortress.
Around 2 percent of Jordan’s population is Christian, according to the CIA World Factbook. Despite the small number, many Jordanian Christians have served in top government jobs, and the community runs many of the country’s schools and hospitals.
The post Shooting at church in Jordan leaves at least 7 people dead, 34 injured appeared first on Washington Post.
