At least seven people were killed and 10 others injured when gunmen opened fire during a church funeral in Jordan’s Karak governorate on Friday. State-owned television channel Al-Mamlaka reported the casualties. Security forces deployed at the scene and began pursuing the suspects.
According to Al-Mamlaka, two gunmen stepped out of a vehicle and opened fire during a funeral procession at Hamoud church in Karak. The shooting continued for several minutes, according to a witness who attended the funeral. Authorities have not confirmed the attackers’ identities.
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Khaled Burqan, a funeral attendee, told Al-Mamlaka that dozens of people had gathered for the ceremony. He said one attacker carried a rifle while the other had a pistol. The gunmen fired at those attending the funeral before fleeing the scene.
Security personnel responded to the incident and launched efforts to locate the suspects. Officials had not announced any arrests or confirmed the motive behind the attack in the initial reports. No group had claimed responsibility for the shooting by Friday.
The attack has drawn attention because shootings of this kind are rare in Jordan. The country has generally maintained relative stability despite regional tensions. However, the report noted that Jordan has faced increasing Iranian attacks this year following US and Israeli strikes against Iran in February.
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Jordan has a Christian minority, and the country contains several religious sites associated with biblical history. These locations attract Christian pilgrims from different parts of the world. The attack occurred during a funeral gathering at a church in Karak, raising concerns about the safety of those attending religious events.
Authorities had not released further details about the victims or the suspects. Investigators are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the shooting and identify those responsible. Security forces continued pursuing the gunmen as the investigation progressed.