Jordan: shooting in a church leaves at least seven dead, according to state television

At least seven people were killed Friday, October 23, in a shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in southern Jordan, authorities announced.

“At least seven people were killed in a shooting at the Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud, in the Karak region, while around ten others were injured, some seriously,” the Public Security Directorate said in a statement.

“Two armed men got out of a vehicle and opened fire during a funeral procession leaving the Hammoud church,” she added, specifying that a search operation was underway to find the shooters. Government spokesperson Mohammed Al-Momani announced the opening of an investigation.

A witness told al-Mamlaka television that the individuals fired for five minutes before fleeing. According to him, 150 to 200 people were present at the time of the shooting, both inside and outside the church. He confirmed that the attack left several victims, most of them aged around 50 to 70 years old. The governorate of Karak, which has around 375,000 inhabitants, is home to a large Christian community.