Gunmen Kill Seven at Jordan Church Funeral, King Vows Retaliation

Gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, Jordan, killing at least seven people and wounding dozens more. The attack, which authorities have labeled a terrorist act, has drawn widespread condemnation and a vow of harsh retaliation from King Abdullah II. Source: The Guardian, NPR, DW News

The Attack

The shooting occurred on Friday at the Hammoud (also spelled Hamoud or Hmoud) Church in the Karak governorate, about 180 km south of Amman. Source: The Guardian, DW News Reports on the number of assailants vary: some sources describe two gunmen, while others cite three or four. Source: NPR, BBC, CNN Witnesses reported that the attackers, who were masked, arrived in a vehicle and began shooting during the funeral procession. Source: Al Jazeera, SCMP One witness told CNN that the gunmen shouted "Allahu Akbar" during the attack, which lasted several minutes. Source: CNN

Casualties and Response

• Death toll: At least seven people were killed, though some outlets initially reported six or eight. Source: The Guardian, Al Jazeera, CNN
• Injuries: The number of wounded ranges from 28 to 40, with two in critical condition. Source: BBC, The Guardian, DW News
• Manhunt: The attackers remain at large, and a security operation is underway. Source: SCMP, Al Jazeera

Reactions

King Abdullah II declared that Jordan "will confront the terrorist act that targeted Karak with the harshest penalties." Source: The Guardian Prime Minister Jafar Hassan attributed the attack to "extremist terrorist ideology." Source: NPR Jordan declared three days of national mourning. Source: The Guardian International condemnation came from the UN, the US, and regional leaders, including the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. Source: The Guardian, DW News