15 minutes of gunfire in Karak left seven dead

Seven people died and at least 34 others were injured when gunmen opened fire on a funeral at a church in Hmoud, a town in the Karak governorate of central Jordan. The attack took place on Friday. Officials confirmed the toll after initial reports fluctuated, with a government spokesperson briefly citing six deaths before returning to the final count of seven.

The assailants arrived in a car, entered the building, and opened fire before fleeing. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya identified the attackers as a "group of extremists" during a press conference. He described the incident as "painful and horrific" and "unparalleled in the history of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan." No group has formally claimed responsibility for the shooting.

Khalid al-Mdanat, who was inside the church, told BBC Arabic that the gunfire lasted about 15 minutes. He noted that people tried to flee while the shooting was still active. The gunmen exited through the church doors and escaped in a pickup truck, firing as they went. Another witness described the sound as if a war had just started, while a woman inside the building said the situation escalated for 10 continuous minutes before bodies were visible in the courtyards.

Security forces verified CCTV footage showing three gunmen approaching the church from a road. Two men entered what appeared to be a vehicle entrance, retreated briefly, and returned with a third. All three were carrying handguns. The aftermath footage showed dead and wounded individuals on the ground in chaotic scenes. Witnesses described panic inside, with people hiding under pews and moving away from windows as prayers and screams echoed through the building.

King Abdullah II stated that authorities would "confront the terrorist act that targeted Karak with the harshest penalties." He visited the injured shortly after the attack, prompting tighter security around the hospital in Karak. Roads near the facility were closed, forcing people to park and walk. Families gathered at the entrance, crying and shouting in shock.

The Karak region holds a sizable Christian community within a majority Muslim country. While such violence is rare in Jordan, deadly attacks have occurred in the past. Some residents expressed frustration, citing a failure to take a tougher approach toward terrorists. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun condemned the event as a "heinous terrorist attack" that violated the sanctity of funeral mourners.

The next scheduled step is the ongoing manhunt led by Jordanian security forces to arrest the group responsible. The investigation continues as the country processes the impact of the attack.