At least seven people were killed and about 10 others wounded, some critically, when gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a church in southern Jordan on Friday, according to Jordan’s state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka.
The shooting took place at the Hamoud Church in Karak Governorate, roughly 100 kilometers south of Amman. A source quoted by Al-Mamlaka said two gunmen got out of a vehicle and opened fire as the funeral procession was leaving the church. An eyewitness told the channel the attackers fired directly at the church while the service was underway.
Jordan’s Public Security Directorate confirmed in a statement that unidentified gunmen had opened fire inside a church in the governorate, causing deaths and injuries, and said efforts to track down the suspects were ongoing. The directorate did not release casualty figures.
Minister of Government Communication Mohammad Al-Momani said security services were handling the incident on the ground.
No group has claimed responsibility, and authorities have not announced any arrests or a motive. The identities of the victims have not been released.
Karak was the scene of a deadly terror attack in December 2016, when gunmen killed ten people, including a Canadian tourist, in a series of shootings that ended in a siege at the city’s Crusader castle. The Islamic State terror group claimed responsibility for that attack.
This is a developing story.
