At least seven killed after gunmen open fire at church in Jordan

What the report says

At least six people were killed and 28 others wounded after gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a church in Jordan’s Karak governorate, according to Al Jazeera’s report based on Reuters and Jordanian authorities. Jordanian sources had earlier told Al Jazeera that seven people were dead. The attack took place on Friday at the Hamoud church, where survivors said the shooting began after an explosion as the funeral procession started.

State media and security officials said masked gunmen broke into the church and fired on mourners. One funeral attendee, Khaled Burqan, told Al-Mamlaka that dozens of people were present and that one attacker carried a pistol while the other had a rifle. Jordan’s Public Security Directorate said security forces were deployed and were searching for two suspects who had arrived by vehicle. No group had claimed responsibility at the time of the report.

The incident is highly unusual in Jordan, where attacks of this kind are rare. Karak, about 120 kilometers south of Amman, is home to both Christian and Muslim communities and has seen violence before, including a 2016 Islamic State assault. Al Jazeera also noted that the attack comes against the backdrop of Jordan’s role as a custodian of holy sites and its emphasis on interfaith coexistence.