Jordan seeks suspects after eight die in Karak church

King Abdullah of Jordan told security forces to hunt for the gunmen who attacked a church in the Karak governorate. The royal court stated that the king instructed the military to respond firmly to the violence. Eight people died in the incident, and 40 others were wounded.

The shooting occurred on Friday at a Greek Orthodox church located about 120 kilometers southwest of Amman. Gunmen fired for several minutes during a funeral service. Jordanian officials labeled the event an act of extremist terrorism. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

Security in Amman and other cities has increased. The US embassy in Amman reported that police are watching over shopping malls and foreign embassies. The government declared three days of national mourning. Officials said it is too early to determine if the attackers have links to known groups inside or outside the country.

King Abdullah traveled to Karak within hours of the shooting. He promised that the perpetrators would be punished with an iron fist. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan described the attack as a result of terrorist ideology and blind extremism on social media. He added that the country would not allow society to follow that path.

Nasser al-Burqan, a lawyer who survived the shooting, told Reuters that an attacker stood about two meters away. The gunman aimed a handgun at him and fired. Al-Burqan later spoke with his son, who was also at the mass. His son said he was shot in the leg and was receiving hospital treatment.

Al-Burqan said he looked out a window after the gunfire stopped. He saw two assailants, one masked and one unmasked with a handgun. Tarek Ammarin, whose relative was hurt, called the event a massacre at the hospital. Bahjat al-Rushda, the mayor of Shihan village, condemned the wicked attack and said the country would remain safe.

Such attacks are rare in Jordan, though authorities say they have foiled plots by violent groups in recent years. Karak has a small Christian population. The country contains several biblical sites that attract Christian pilgrims from around the world. Police were seen patrolling outside the church on Saturday.