Karak church funeral shooting leaves Jordan in mourning

The Karak church funeral shooting killed at least nine people and wounded 40 others on Friday, when gunmen opened fire at St. George's Greek Orthodox Church in Hmoud, in Jordan's southern Karak governorate, according to CNN. The toll had been revised upward as more information surfaced, after earlier official counts put the number of dead lower. The attack struck mourners who had gathered to grieve a member of the local community, and it was covered by CNN and the Associated Press.

State television footage showed gunmen firing from the street before moving toward the church, according to the Associated Press. A witness told state-run Al-Mamlaka television that the shooting went on for several minutes. Another witness told CNN that she hid behind the altar with other mourners to survive, and described the scene as a massacre of people gathered to grieve. Video taken by witnesses showed broken glass and blood on the floor of the church, according to the Associated Press. The exact number of attackers remained unconfirmed, with the Associated Press reporting that it could not verify the count.

No group had claimed responsibility by Saturday, and authorities were still searching for the attackers. Jordan's Public Security Directorate described the shooting as a terrorist attack, and the interior minister said it was too early to determine whether the attackers had links to known groups inside or outside the country. A government statement said investigations were under way at full speed, according to the Associated Press.

Manhunt under way as Jordan mourns

King Abdullah II visited wounded people at a hospital in Karak on Friday evening and vowed a harsh response against those responsible, according to CNN. The king said the blood of Jordanians was precious and promised retaliation with an iron fist. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan declared three days of national mourning, with flags flown at half-staff over government and public buildings, according to the kingdom's official news agency Petra. Petra quoted Hassan as saying the attack was the result of extremist terrorist ideology rooted in takfir, the practice of declaring others to be infidels.

Government spokesman Mohammad Momani attributed the attack to extremist takfiri ideology, according to Anadolu, and said Christians were an integral and inseparable part of Jordan's national fabric, with deep roots in the country's history and identity. He said investigators were still examining whether the perpetrators had links to any organisation, adding that the findings would be announced once the investigation was complete. The American embassy in Amman said security had been stepped up at malls, embassies and other locations across Jordan, according to Reuters, and told American citizens to expect a higher police presence.

Why the attack shocked Jordan

The Karak church funeral shooting stunned Jordan in part because sectarian attacks there are rare. Christians make up about 2% of the country's population, according to CNN, and Hmoud has been home to a predominantly Christian community for centuries. On Friday, people had gathered at St. George's to mourn the death of a community member, and witnesses told state media that mourners were standing in the courtyard of the church when the gunfire began. A witness told CNN that the gunmen shouted while targeting the courtyard, where most people were standing.

Condemnation came from across the region and beyond. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the killings and called for those responsible to be identified and held accountable. Cairo's Al-Azhar Institute, a leading Sunni learning centre, condemned the attack, with Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayeb saying the crime contradicted the teachings of the Abrahamic religions. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem extended condolences to the families, to Hammoud residents, and to all those affected by the shooting. The Iraqi government said the attack demonstrated that terrorism was a root of evil that Iraqis had previously suffered from and confronted with determination.

Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour said two of those wounded were in critical condition, according to CNN. What remained unknown on Saturday was considerable: investigators had not publicly named suspects or established a motive, and the attackers were still at large. The wounded were still being treated in hospitals, and the search for the gunmen continued.