crime

Jordan: Karak church shooting leaves 6 dead, dozens injured

Jordan: Karak church shooting leaves 6 dead, dozens injured

The shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in southern Jordan happened during a funeral, according to local authorities. Two unidentified men opened fire on the procession.

A shooting at church in the southern Jordanian governorate of Karak left 6 people dead and another 28 wounded on Friday, Jordan's Public Security Directorate law enforcement agency said.

A security source told Jordanian state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka that the shooting occurred at the Hammoud Church. The shooting reportedly occurred during a funeral.

The attackers' identities and motives remain unclear. Two men opened fire on the funeral procession.

A witness told Jordanian state media said there were 150 to 200 people present at the church at the time of the shooting. Videos circulating online showed wounded people on the floor of the church covered in blood, but this footage cannot be verified by DW.

Jordanian government spokesperson Mohammad al-Momani said security forces have launched a probe into the attack.

Gun attacks like the one on the church in Karak are rare in Jordan.

Although Jordan is largely a Muslim-majority country of around 11.5 million people, there is a small Christian minority of a couple hundred thousand. The Karak region, about 180 kilometers (110 miles) south of Amman, has a significant Christian population.

  • jordan
  • church
  • shooting
  • karak
  • dozen
  • greek
  • orthodox
  • funeral

Summaries and tags are generated automatically. Stay informed with VidiaNews.

Related news

Seven shot dead by gunmen at church funeral in Jordan, officials say
crime

Seven shot dead by gunmen at church funeral in Jordan, officials say

“Whoever imagines that the bullets of treachery can divide the ranks of Jordanians will fail in his endeavour before our steadfastness and unity,” the king added in a post on X. Dozens of people had been inside the church for the funeral when the shooting began, Khaled Burqan, one of the mourners, told Jordan’s al-Mamlaka state-run TV. Karak has a sizeable Christian community in the majority-Muslim Jordan.

Read →