Authorities were searching for the gunmen after the attack on mourners at St. George’s Church in southern Jordan.
HAMOUD, JORDAN — Nine people were killed and dozens were wounded after gunmen opened fire on mourners gathered for a funeral at St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church in the southern Jordanian governorate of Karak, according to authorities and news reports. The Oct. 23 attack prompted a nationwide security response as authorities searched for those responsible.
The death toll rose to nine after two people who had been critically wounded died from their injuries, Health Minister Ibrahim al-Bdour said Saturday. About 40 people were wounded in the attack, according to reporting by Reuters and The Associated Press. Authorities had not announced any arrests by Saturday, and no group had claimed responsibility. Officials said it was too early to determine whether the attackers were connected to any known militant organization.
The shooting began while people were gathered for a funeral in the village of Hamoud. Video footage broadcast after the attack showed armed men approaching the church and opening fire. Witnesses described several minutes of gunfire as mourners tried to take cover or escape. Authorities have not publicly established the total number of people involved in carrying out the attack, and investigators continued working to determine how it was organized.
Saed al-Halaseh, who survived the shooting, told The Associated Press that three masked men carrying automatic weapons appeared as people stood outside the church and began firing. He said he dropped to the ground and crawled behind a vehicle to escape. Other survivors described confusion and panic as shots struck the area around the church. Priest Theodoros Soueiss told Reuters that those inside were ordered to get down as the gunfire continued.
Jordanian officials described the shooting as a terrorist attack while stopping short of publicly identifying the attackers or establishing a specific motive. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan attributed the violence to extremist ideology. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said security services were working to track down those responsible. The absence of a claim of responsibility and the continuing investigation left important questions about the attackers and their affiliations unresolved.
King Abdullah II condemned the attack and ordered security agencies to respond forcefully. During a National Security Council meeting Saturday, the king said the security and safety of Jordanians were a “red line” and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice. Security was also increased at locations including shopping centers and foreign embassies, according to the U.S. Embassy in Amman.
The attack struck a community known for a long-established Christian presence in Muslim-majority Jordan. Christians are a minority in the kingdom, and Karak is home to a significant Christian community. Such large-scale attacks are unusual in Jordan, a country that has generally remained more stable than several of its neighbors despite facing militant plots and occasional attacks. The shooting at a funeral and place of worship intensified concern because it targeted a setting closely associated with community and religious life.
Church leaders across the region condemned the violence. The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem expressed solidarity with Jordan and said the attack would not undermine relations between Muslims and Christians in the country. Churches across the region were asked to ring their bells Saturday in remembrance of those killed and in support of the injured. The attack also drew condemnation from governments and international figures outside Jordan.
Authorities continued searching for the attackers as investigators worked to establish their identities, motive and possible connections. Twenty-five injured people remained hospitalized Saturday, according to the health minister. With no organization claiming responsibility and no publicly announced arrests, the investigation remained active as Jordan mourned the victims and tightened security following one of the country’s deadliest attacks in recent years.
Author note: Last updated October 25, 2026.