Jordan Church Shooting Leaves Seven Dead and 34 Injured

Seven people died and at least 34 were injured when gunmen attacked a funeral at a church in Hmoud, central Jordan, on Friday.

Officials said the attackers arrived by car, entered the sanctuary, and opened fire before fleeing. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident. The death toll fluctuated in early reports, with a government spokesperson initially citing six victims before officials confirmed the final count of seven.

Mazen al-Faraya, the Interior Minister, addressed the press to describe the perpetrators as a group of extremists. He characterized the event as unparalleled in the history of the Hashemite Kingdom. King Abdullah II stated that authorities would confront the terrorist act with the harshest penalties. Verified CCTV footage shows three men approaching the church from a road. Two entered a vehicle entrance, retreated briefly, and returned with the third. All three carried handguns. Aftermath footage captured dead and wounded individuals on the ground in the courtyards.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene inside the building. Khalid al-Mdanat, who was present, said the attack lasted about 15 minutes. He noted that people tried to flee while shooting was still active. The gunmen exited through the doors and escaped in a pickup truck, firing as they drove away. Another witness compared the sound of the gunfire to the start of a war. A woman inside reported that shooting began seconds after a prayer and continued for 10 continuous minutes.

Security forces closed nearby roads, forcing visitors to park and walk to the hospital in Karak where the wounded were treated. The atmosphere remained tense as families mourned. Residents expressed frustration over what they described as a failure to take a tougher approach toward terrorists. Lebanon President Joseph Aoun condemned the heinous terrorist attack, stating it violated the sanctity of funeral mourners and contradicted religious values.

Jordan is a majority Muslim country with a sizeable Christian community in Karak. Deadly attacks are rare in the region but have occurred in the past. Security was tightened further ahead of King Abdullah II’s visit to see the injured at the hospital.