King Abdullah Promises Harshest Punishment After Extremists Kill Seven in Jordan

Gunfire lasted 15 minutes at a church in Hmoud, central Jordan, killing seven people and injuring at least 34 others on Friday. The attack targeted a funeral service in the Karak governorate, where a sizeable Christian community resides within the majority Muslim nation.

Officials described the assailants as a group of extremists who arrived by car, entered the building, and opened fire before retreating. No individual or organization has claimed responsibility for the incident. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya stated at a news conference that authorities are working to arrest the perpetrators. He characterized the event as painful, horrific, and unparalleled in the history of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

King Abdullah II promised that officials would confront the terrorist act with the harshest penalties. Early reports of the death toll varied, with a government spokesperson initially citing six victims before figures were revised back to seven. Verified CCTV footage shows three gunmen approaching the church from a road. Two of them entered a vehicle entrance, retreated briefly, and returned with a third man. All three appear to be carrying handguns. Additional footage from the aftermath depicts dead and wounded individuals on the ground.

Witnesses recounted panic inside the church, where attendees threw themselves under pews and moved away from windows. Khalid al-Mdanat, who was present, told BBC Arabic that the shooting continued while people attempted to flee. He noted that the gunmen exited through the main doors and escaped in a pickup truck, firing as they went. Another witness described the sound as if a war had just started. A woman inside reported that gunfire began seconds after a prayer and that the situation escalated for 10 continuous minutes. She stated that bodies lay in the courtyards when she exited.

Security forces closed roads near the hospital in Karak treating the wounded, forcing visitors to park and walk. Officers tightened security ahead of a visit by King Abdullah II to see the injured. Families gathered at the hospital entrance, crying and shouting as they mourned. Many residents expressed shock and anger, with some voicing frustration over what they called a failure to take a tougher approach toward terrorists.

Such violence is rare in Jordan, though deadly attacks have occurred in the past. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the event as a heinous terrorist attack. He said the incident violated the sanctity of death and funeral mourners and contradicted all religious and humanitarian values, according to Lebanese media.