Jordan Orders Nationwide Security Sweep After Fatal Karak Church Shooting

Jordanian authorities launched a nationwide security operation on Saturday following a Friday shooting that left nine people dead and forty others injured.

The incident occurred at St. George's Greek Orthodox Church in Hamoud, Karak Governorate, during a funeral service. Security forces deployed to the site found blood on the floor near the entrance. The Health Ministry confirmed forty people were wounded, while most are currently receiving treatment. Maj. Gen. Abdallah al-Maaytah, head of the Public Security Directorate, stated that the search for the attackers is ongoing.

The attack unfolded over several minutes. Witness Khaled Burqan told state television that dozens of attendees were present when three gunmen opened fire. Footage from a church security camera, verified by Reuters, showed the shooters firing from a pavement area behind trees and a low wall before running toward the building. Priest Theodoros Soueiss noted that the gunfire was indiscriminate and created a sense of panic among the congregation. Witness Ihab Ammareen described seeing injured people collapse on the floor while others cried and wailed.

Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh attributed the violence to extremists but said it was premature to determine if they had ties to specific groups inside or outside Jordan. No organization has claimed responsibility. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan posted on X that the attack resulted from a terrorist ideology and blind extremism. King Abdullah visited Karak within hours of the shooting and promised the perpetrators would be punished with an iron fist. He stated that those attempting to divide Jordanians with bullets have no chance against the nation's unity.

The US Embassy in Amman reported that security was stepped up at malls, foreign embassies, and other locations across the country on Saturday. US authorities have noted in recent years that they have repeatedly foiled attempted attacks by Islamist militants in the region. Jordan also faced Iranian attacks this year following US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February. The country is home to a Christian minority and several biblical sites that attract pilgrims globally.

Hani Al-Mbaydeen, a visitor at a government hospital in Karak, called for an investigation into the origins of the ideology behind the attack. He questioned how such dark ideas enter the minds of young people. The United Nations Secretary General condemned the violence against civilians and places of worship. Mike Waltz, the US Ambassador to the UN, described the event as a depraved and brutal attack on a house of worship.

The next steps include a continued manhunt for the three gunmen and a review of security protocols at religious sites. The government will assess the extent of the attackers' connections to regional or local militant networks. Hospitals in Karak are treating the forty wounded as families gather for support.