Seven killed in shooting at church funeral in southern Jordan
Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya called the attack "unparalleled in the history" of Jordan. The attackers arrived by car and fled after a roughly fifteen-minute shooting.
Seven people were killed and at least 34 wounded when gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in Hmoud, in Jordan's southern Karak governorate, officials say. The attackers arrived by car, fired automatic weapons for roughly fifteen minutes, and fled the scene; a manhunt is now under way. Between 150 and 200 mourners were inside the church at the time, according to witnesses cited by the BBC.
Jordan's Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya described the perpetrators as "a group of extremists" and called the attack "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". Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun condemned what he called a "heinous terrorist attack" that "violated the sanctity of death and funeral mourners".
Context
Karak is home to a sizeable Christian community in majority-Muslim Jordan, and gun violence of this scale is rare in the country, though deadly attacks have occurred before. Jordanian authorities have tightened security at the hospitals treating the wounded.
Source and attribution
This report is based on BBC News' reporting. The casualty toll was initially reported inconsistently and may change as officials confirm figures; readers should consult the source for updates.