Jordan's King Orders Harsh Penalties After Three Gunmen Kill Seven in Karak

The Jordanian government declared three days of national mourning on Friday following a shooting at a funeral that killed seven people and wounded 40 others. The attack took place at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, a town located roughly 90 kilometers south of the capital, Amman. This incident marks the latest in a series of violent events in a region with a small Christian population.

State television footage captured the moment the assault began. Two men armed with pistols approached the building and opened fire. A third individual carrying a semiautomatic rifle then moved forward to shoot. All three ran toward the church entrance. Witness videos showed shattered glass and blood on the floor inside the building. One mourner, Dorgham Halasa, said gunfire started about 15 minutes after the service began. He described the scene as a weird situation with heavy gunfire and said others reported seeing four attackers, though security services did not immediately confirm the final count.

The government stated in a release that unknown assailants carried out the attack. Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour announced that two of the wounded are in critical condition. The ministry said investigations are underway at full speed but did not indicate if any of the gunmen had been captured or killed. The Petra News Agency reported the declaration of the three-day mourning period.

King Abdullah II reacted on social media, writing that the nation would confront the act with the harshest penalties. He sent condolences to the families of the deceased and wished recovery for the injured. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan spoke at a security meeting in Karak on Friday evening. He attributed the attack to terrorist ideology and blind extremism. Hassan said legal measures would be taken against those seeking to introduce extremism and that the attackers would be punished.

Regional leaders and international officials issued statements of condemnation. In Cairo, Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, called the shooting a heinous terrorist attack. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein phoned his Jordanian counterpart to affirm solidarity. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the attack as especially heinous because it occurred during a funeral. His spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said the secretary-general called for all responsible parties to be found and held to account.

Karak has experienced deadly violence in the past. In 2016, gunmen ambushed police in several attacks in the town, including at a Crusader castle. Ten people died in that incident, seven of whom were officers. Security forces killed the gunmen after a long standoff. The current attack adds to the history of violence in the area, which is home to a minority Christian community.

The economic and social impact of the violence remains focused on the immediate response. The government has mobilized security forces and medical teams. The three-day mourning period affects public gatherings and state functions. The region's stability is a key factor for local commerce and tourism in Karak, which has been a destination for visitors since the 2016 attacks.