MALAYSIA has condemned an attack targeting the Greek Orthodox Church of St George in Hamoud village, in Jordan’s Karak Governorate, describing the assault on a place of worship as a grave violation of religious sanctity.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Foreign Ministry extended Malaysia’s condolences to the Jordanian government and people, as well as the victims’ families, and expressed solidarity with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
The ministry denounced the deliberate targeting of a religious site as a heinous act of extremism, stressing that such violence had no place in any society.
Malaysia also reiterated its rejection of extremism in all its forms and manifestations, regardless of motive or justification.
The ministry said Malaysia remained committed to strengthening its longstanding bilateral ties with Jordan, including through shared efforts to uphold religious harmony and peaceful coexistence.
At least seven people were killed and 34 others wounded when gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in Jordan’s Karak governorate, authorities said.
Reuters cited Director of the Public Security Directorate Obaidullah Al-Maaytah saying on Friday that seven deaths had been confirmed following the attack at the church in Hamoud village.
Twenty-seven of the wounded were receiving treatment in hospitals, he said, adding that security forces were searching for the attackers.
“The perpetrators will be caught and our national unity will not be hit,” he said at a news conference.
Survivors said they heard an explosion as the funeral procession began, before masked gunmen entered the church and opened fire for several minutes.
State-owned broadcaster Al-Mamlaka reported that security forces had been deployed to the scene and were pursuing two suspects who allegedly got out of a vehicle and began shooting.
Funeral attendee Khaled Burqan told the broadcaster that dozens of people had gathered for the procession. One attacker was carrying a pistol and the other a rifle, he said.
No group had claimed responsibility for the attack.
Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya described the shooting as an unprecedented terrorist attack, saying those responsible had no regard for humanity.
“This country will never be dragged into terrorism and violence,” he said.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II vowed that the perpetrators would face the harshest penalties.
“The blood of Jordanians is precious, and we will strike with an iron fist against anyone who overreaches against this country,” he said in a post on X.
The United Arab Emirates also condemned the attack, describing it as a terrorist and criminal act, while rejecting all forms of violence that threaten security and stability.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also strongly condemned the shooting. His spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said an attack on a place of worship during a funeral procession was particularly heinous.
Attacks of this nature are rare in Jordan, where Christians make up a minority of the population of about 11.5 million.
Karak, about 120km south of the capital, Amman, has previously experienced deadly violence. In 2016, an attack by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters killed 10 people, including security officers and a Canadian tourist, at Karak Castle.
The latest shooting has raised concerns over security and interfaith relations in a country where Christian and Muslim communities have lived alongside one another for generations. - October 25, 2026