In brief
Gunmen burst into a church in Hmoud, Karak Governorate, during a funeral service and opened fire, leaving seven dead and 34 wounded. The attackers, holding handguns, slipped in via a vehicle and fled in a pickup truck. Jordanian officials label the assault an act of terrorism, with the Interior Minister calling the attackers a "group of extremists" and the king vowing harsh penalties. CCTV footage shows the gunmen approaching from a road and the chaotic aftermath. The incident marks a rare but deadly flare of violence in a country known for its religious tolerance.
Reuter’s footage captured police and emergency vehicles surrounding the church in Hmoud, Jordan.
Gunmen armed with handguns stormed a Greek‑Orthodox church in Hmoud, Karak, during a funeral service and opened fire, killing seven people and wounding 34.
The attackers entered the venue in a car, fired into the congregation, and fled in a pickup as police mounted a rapid response.
Jordan’s Interior Minister, Mazen al‑Faraya, described the attackers as a "group of extremists" and said authorities were working to identify the perpetrators. King Abdullah II pledged that the nation would face “harshest penalties” for the terrorist act.
CCTV footage, verified by the BBC, shows three armed men approaching from a road, entering the church grounds, and retreating briefly before returning to fire.
Witnesses described chaos: attendees sought cover under pews, some fell to the floor while others tried to flee, and the scene remained tense for about fifteen minutes as the shooting continued.
At the nearby hospital, security was heightened as families pressed for updates. The King visited the hospital later in the day, flanked by security forces.
The attack shocked a predominantly Muslim country with a sizable Christian minority, and it was condemned by foreign leaders, including Lebanon’s President who called it a "heinous terrorist attack" that violated religious sanctity.
Getty Images captured security forces and the public outside the church after the attack.
