Jordan Hunts Three Gunmen After Deadly Karak Church Shooting

Eight people are dead and 40 injured after three masked gunmen opened fire at a funeral inside a Greek Orthodox church in Jordan's Karak governorate on Friday, according to Jordan's Ministry of Health, as cited by Al Jazeera. The attackers remain unidentified and at large, and no group has claimed responsibility.

Jordan's Petra news agency reported Saturday that seven of the eight victims died at the scene in the village of Hamoud, while an eighth, a woman, died hours later from her injuries. Of the 40 people wounded, 27 remained hospitalized as of Saturday, and the director of Prince Ali Military Hospital in Karak said one patient was in critical condition, Al Jazeera reported.

What Happened During the Shooting at Saint George's Church?

The attack unfolded Friday afternoon at Saint George's Greek Orthodox Church during a funeral service. Survivors told Al Jazeera they heard an explosion just after the service began. Two attackers arrived by vehicle and were joined by a third carrying a semi-automatic rifle; the three then entered the church and fired for several minutes.

Nasser al-Burqan, a lawyer who survived the attack, told Reuters that one gunman stood roughly two meters (6.5 feet) from him and fired a handgun directly at him. "When everything finally quietened down, I looked out the window behind me, and I saw two [assailants] — one was masked, the other was not; he was carrying a handgun," al-Burqan said, according to the Reuters account relayed by Al Jazeera. His son, also present, was shot in the leg and was being treated in hospital.

"A massacre, a massacre in every sense of the word." — Tarek Ammarin, whose relative was injured in the attack, to Al Jazeera

State broadcaster Al-Mamlaka reported that security forces deployed to the church and were pursuing two suspects who had fled in the vehicle used to arrive at the scene, Al Jazeera reported.

Who Are the Suspects Jordan Is Searching For?

Authorities have not identified any of the three gunmen, and all three remain at large, according to Al Jazeera's reporting as of Saturday. Jordanian security forces are treating the shooting as an act of terrorism, though investigators have not released a motive or confirmed any affiliation for the attackers. No organization had claimed responsibility for the attack as of the publication of Al Jazeera's report.

What Has King Abdullah II Ordered?

King Abdullah II condemned the attack and said those responsible would face the "harshest penalties," according to Al Jazeera. He offered condolences to victims' families and ordered a review of the country's security procedures for responding to terrorist attacks. The order signals that Jordanian authorities view the church shooting as a gap in existing protocols for protecting religious sites and large gatherings.

Local officials also weighed in. Bahjat al-Rushda, mayor of the nearby village of Shihan in Karak, called the shooting a "wicked" attack and said, "God willing, this country will remain safe," Al Jazeera reported.

Why Is This Attack Considered Rare in Jordan?

Al Jazeera's reporting frames the shooting as a rare attack on a Christian place of worship in Jordan, a country where Christian communities have generally not faced this scale of violence at religious gatherings. The designation by authorities of the shooting as terrorism, combined with the king's order for a nationwide security review, underscores how unusual officials consider the event within Jordan's broader security record.

Timeline of the Karak Church Attack

• Friday afternoon: Three masked gunmen open fire during a funeral at Saint George's Greek Orthodox Church in Hamoud village, Karak governorate, after survivors report hearing an explosion at the start of the service.
• Friday, shortly after: Jordanian security forces deploy to the scene; state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka reports a pursuit of two suspects who fled by vehicle.
• Saturday: Jordan's Petra news agency confirms the death toll at eight, including one victim who died hours after the attack from her injuries; 27 of 40 injured remain hospitalized, with one patient in critical condition.
• Ongoing: King Abdullah II orders a review of national security procedures for terrorist attacks; the three gunmen remain unidentified and at large.

Al Jazeera's full account, including survivor testimony and official statements, is available in the original report.