Jordan: Several people die after attack on church

Unidentified gunmen killed at least six people and injured 28 others in a gun attack on a church in Jordan. The attackers opened fire during a funeral procession at the Greek Orthodox church in the town of Hammud in Karak province, the Jordanian security directorate said. The authorities initially spoke of seven deaths, but later revised the number downwards.

Jordan's King Abdullah II described the act as a "terrorist attack" and announced a decisive response from the authorities. "We will act with an iron fist against those who dare to threaten our nation," he said on the online service X.

According to authorities, the attackers got out of a vehicle and shot at the participants in the funeral procession. Jordanian state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka showed footage of two men with pistols and a third with a rifle opening fire on the church from the street. The perpetrators then fled. The security forces launched a manhunt.

An eyewitness told Al-Mamlaka broadcaster that the attackers fired continuously for about five minutes. At the time of the attack, there were between 150 and 200 people in the church and its surroundings. Most of the victims were between 50 and 70 years old, the witness said.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the Arab world's only Christian head of state, condemned the shooting as a "heinous terrorist attack." The attack shows once again that terrorism knows neither religion nor homeland. Aoun said his goal was to attack the coexistence of religious communities and sow discord, according to a statement from his presidential office.