Gunmen kill seven at church funeral in Jordan, 34 injured

Seven people were killed and at least 34 injured when gunmen opened fire on a church funeral in Hmoud, in Jordan’s Karak governorate, on Friday, officials said. The attackers arrived in a car, entered the church and opened fire before fleeing. No group has claimed responsibility.

How many people were killed and injured?

Officials initially reported seven deaths. A government spokesperson later said six people had died, before officials again revised the toll to seven. At least 34 other people were injured in the attack.

What did the security footage show?

CCTV footage verified by the BBC appears to show three gunmen walking from a road towards the church. Two of the men are seen approaching what appears to be a vehicle entrance to the church grounds before briefly retreating and returning with a third man. All three appear to be armed with handguns. Separate footage believed to be from the aftermath appears to show several dead and wounded bodies on the ground.

What did witnesses describe?

Khalid al-Mdanat, who was at the church, told BBC Arabic the attack lasted around 15 minutes. “People began pushing and throwing themselves to the ground,” he said. He said the gunmen left through the church doors and fled in a pickup truck, “firing as they went”.

Witnesses described panic inside the building as worshippers threw themselves under pews to move away from the windows. Another witness said: “I heard something as if a war had just started.” A woman in the church said the sound of machine guns and breaking glass followed a prayer, and that the situation “continued to escalate for 10 continuous minutes”.

What have Jordanian officials said?

Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said authorities were working to apprehend the perpetrators, whom he described as a “group of extremists”. He called the incident “painful and horrific” and “unparalleled in the history of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan”.

King Abdullah II said authorities would “confront the terrorist act that targeted Karak with the harshest penalties”. Security was tightened around a hospital in Karak treating the injured ahead of a visit by the king, with roads closed around the facility and people forced to park their cars and continue on foot.

Who has condemned the attack?

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun, a Christian head of state, said the “heinous terrorist attack” on the church “violated the sanctity of death and funeral mourners” and “contradicts all religious and humanitarian values”, according to Lebanese media.

Is such violence common in Jordan?

Karak has a sizeable Christian community in majority-Muslim Jordan. Such violence is rare in the country, but deadly attacks have been carried out in the past. Deadly violence linked to religious groups has drawn international attention elsewhere, including the case of Kenyan cult leader Paul Mackenzie, who was found guilty of 191 murders.

Frequently asked questions

How many people were killed in the Jordan church attack?

Seven people were killed and at least 34 injured when gunmen opened fire on a funeral at a church in Hmoud, in Jordan’s Karak governorate, on Friday.

Has anyone claimed responsibility for the attack in Karak?

No group has admitted carrying out the attack. Jordan’s Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya described the perpetrators as a “group of extremists” and said authorities were working to apprehend them.

Who condemned the attack on the church funeral?

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun condemned what he called a “heinous terrorist attack” that violated the sanctity of funeral mourners. Jordan’s King Abdullah II said authorities would confront the “terrorist act” with the harshest penalties.

Where is Karak?

Karak is a governorate in central Jordan with a sizeable Christian community in the majority-Muslim country. The attack took place at a church in Hmoud, in the governorate.

With reporting from BBC News.

Stock image, not from the events described. Globe World — Jo%E3o%20Silas / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)