King Abdullah Orders Harsh Punishment After Three Gunmen Kill Seven in Karak

King Abdullah II vowed on Friday that Jordan would apply the harshest penalties to those responsible for a shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak. The attack, which occurred roughly 55 miles south of Amman, resulted in seven deaths and 40 injuries.

State television footage captured two men with pistols approaching the building and firing before a third man, carrying a semiautomatic rifle, advanced to shoot. The three gunmen then ran toward the church interior. Witness videos showed shattered glass and blood pooling on the floor.

Dorgham Halasa, a mourner present at the service, reported that heavy gunfire erupted approximately 15 minutes after the funeral started. He described the scene as strange and intense, noting that people began to flee. While Halasa did not see the attackers himself, others told him they spotted four assailants. The Associated Press could not independently verify that number, and Jordanian security services did not immediately release specific details on the suspect count.

Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour stated that two of the wounded are in critical condition. The government confirmed the assault was carried out by unknown assailants and that investigations are proceeding at full speed. No confirmation was provided on whether any shooters were captured or killed. Petra News Agency reported that the kingdom declared three days of national mourning.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan attended a security meeting in Karak on Friday evening. He characterized the attack as the result of terrorist ideology and blind extremism. Hassan said legal measures would be taken against those seeking to introduce extremism and that the attackers would face punishment.

Regional and international leaders offered condolences. Ahmed al-Tayeb, grand imam of Al-Azhar, called the event a heinous terrorist attack. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein phoned his Jordanian counterpart to express solidarity. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the attack as especially heinous because it occurred during a funeral. His spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said the Secretary-General called for all those responsible to be found and held to account.

Karak has a history of violent incidents targeting its minority Christian population. In 2016, gunmen ambushed police in a series of attacks that included a strike on a Crusader castle. That incident killed ten people, seven of whom were officers, and wounded dozens before security forces ended the standoff.