In brief
Gunmen opened fire on a church funeral in central Jordan's Karak governorate, killing seven and injuring over thirty. Investigators say the attackers arrived by car, fired inside, then fled in a pickup truck. The incident has triggered a heavy security mobilization and a royal statement condemning the attack. Eyewitnesses describe chaos as worshippers fell to the floor and fled for cover.
Live update: A sudden barrage of gunfire erupted inside the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Michael in Hmoud, a town in the Karak governorate, on Friday night, turning a funeral service into a massacre that left at least seven people dead and more than thirty injured.
Joyro and Shia‑district residents reported a startling sight as gunmen burst into the interior through the main entrance, firing repeatedly at either side of the altar before fleeing in a pickup truck.
Video captured by local CCTV, verified by BBC footage, shows three men in black shirts moving from a nearby road toward the church, all armed with handguns. The attackers entered, opened fire, and then slipped through the exit for a quick getaway that left no casualties in sight.
Interior Minister Mazen al‑Faraya said security forces are in pursuit of the assailants, describing them as “a group of extremists.” His statement came less than an hour after witnesses began shouting over the gunfire.
King Abdullah II immediately called the incident a “terrorist act” that “must be met with the harshest penalties.” The monarch’s office later confirmed that the king would visit the Karak hospital to meet with the injured and their families.
Eyewitness Khalid al‑Mdanat told BBC Arabic that the shooting lasted roughly fifteen minutes, with “people trying to flee while the shooting was still active.” He described a “mass panic” as worshippers covered themselves under pews, while others tried to reach safety through windows.
“I heard gunfire as if a war started. I looked, and there were bodies and wounded everywhere,” reported another witness, his voice trembling as he recounted the scene.
Security officials on site had a heavy presence at the afflicted hospital, with roads closed and thousands of residents forced to wait on their mopeds for triage. Tweets and local messages suggested broad anger and frustration, with many demanding a tougher stance on security and a tighter crackdown on terrorists.
Karak’s Christian population, a small but vibrant community in a predominantly Muslim country, has rarely faced such violence. The skirmish marks one of Jordan’s deadliest attacks on a religious site since the 1990s.
Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun, criticized the attack in a statement that called it “heinous” and noted that it “violated the sanctity of death and funeral mourners.” International observers urged the Jordanian government to investigate with full reach.
PULSEWIRE’s crowd‑sourced fact‑checking hub is active, inviting eyewitnesses to upload videos or photos and share real‑time updates for instant verification. Our live map pinpoints Hmoud (72°32′E, 30°15′N) to provide context for reporters and followers on the ground.
