Three gunmen on the run after church attack in Jordan

Security forces are hunting for three gunmen who opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud on Friday afternoon. The attack killed eight people and left 40 others wounded, according to the Ministry of Health. Survivors described hearing an explosion just as the service began, followed by the arrival of two men in a vehicle and a third carrying a semi-automatic rifle. The shooters entered the building and fired for several minutes before retreating.

Nasser al-Burqan, a lawyer who survived the incident, stated that one attacker stood two meters away and shot him with a handgun. His son, who was also present, was shot in the leg and is currently receiving treatment in a hospital. Tarek Ammarin, who visited the church to see an injured relative, described the scene as a massacre. Petra news agency reported that seven victims died at the scene, while an eighth, a woman, succumbed to her injuries hours later. Of the 40 people wounded, 27 remain hospitalized, with one patient in critical condition following surgery at Prince Ali Military Hospital.

The government has identified the attackers as unknown assailants, though Interior Minister Mazin Al-Farrayeh attributed the violence to a group of extremists without naming a specific organization. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan labeled the event a product of terrorist ideology and blind extremism. King Abdullah II ordered a review of security procedures for responding to such attacks and stated that those responsible would face the harshest penalties. Security footage broadcast by the state channel Al-Mamlaka shows the three men firing outside the church and shooting at a group of men attempting to flee the area.

The attack has drawn international condemnation from nations including Azerbaijan, Iraq, Poland, Palestine, and Qatar. Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar, called the incident a heinous terrorist attack, while the United States embassy in Jordan offered condolences to the victims and survivors. The prime minister declared three days of mourning, with flags flying at half-mast over government and public buildings.

Karak governorate, located 120 kilometers south of Amman, is home to many of Jordan's approximately 300,000 Christians. Taylor Luck, a senior Middle East correspondent, noted that the community has long valued interfaith solidarity. He observed that Christians and Muslims in Karak have lived side by side for generations and suggested the community may emerge stronger from the event. The last major violence in the region occurred in 2016 when ISIL carried out a series of attacks, including a siege on a Crusader-era castle that killed 10 people, including seven police officers and a Canadian tourist.

The motive for the Friday attack remains unclear as security forces continue the search for the three suspects. The country's 11.5 million residents are now watching for official updates on the investigation and the condition of the hospitalized victims. The next public update on the manhunt is expected as the three-day period of mourning concludes.