As of 10:00 PM IST, Saturday 24 October 2026. The attack took place on Friday afternoon, 23 October, Jordan time. This is a developing story based on reporting by Reuters (via the Guardian), Al Jazeera, AP, the BBC and Jordan's Roya News, which quotes the state news agency Petra. Reported death tolls differ between sources, and HorizonDesk has not independently verified casualty figures.
Jordanian security forces are hunting three masked gunmen who opened fire on mourners at a funeral inside St George's Greek Orthodox Church in the village of Hamoud (also spelled Humud), in Karak governorate about 120 km south of Amman, on Friday afternoon. Jordanian officials put the death toll at eight, while Reuters reported nine. About 40 people were wounded. By Saturday no group had claimed responsibility and the attackers had not been caught.
What happened
According to witnesses and officials quoted by Reuters and Al Jazeera, three masked men went into the church during a funeral service and fired for several minutes before escaping. Security-camera footage aired by state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka appeared to show the gunmen inside the building. A priest who was there, Theodoros Soueiss, told reporters: "The gunfire was indiscriminate."
Roya News, citing Petra, said seven people died at the scene and one more died later in hospital, bringing the official toll to eight. It said 27 of the wounded were still in hospital on Saturday, one in critical condition. The victims named locally include a lawyer and a doctor from the area. Reuters' tally of nine has not been reconciled with the official figure, so HorizonDesk is reporting both.
Key figures at a glance
| Item | Reported figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dead | 8 (7 at scene, 1 later) | Petra via Roya News; Al Jazeera |
| Dead (alternative tally) | 9 | Reuters via the Guardian |
| Wounded | About 40 | Reuters, Al Jazeera |
| Still in hospital (Saturday) | 27, one critical | Roya News |
| Attackers | 3 masked gunmen, at large | Jordanian officials |
What Jordan's leaders have said
Interior Minister Mazin Al-Farrayeh called the attackers "extremists" but said it was too early to say whether they were linked to any organised group. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan said the attack was "a result of a terrorist ideology and blind extremism" and declared three days of national mourning.
King Abdullah II visited Karak and promised the harshest response to those behind the attack, according to reports. He also ordered a review of security procedures. The Public Security Directorate, headed by Maj Gen Abdallah al-Maaytah, is leading the manhunt.
International reaction
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack.
- US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz called it a "depraved and brutal attack on a house of worship". The US embassy in Amman said security had been stepped up around malls and embassies.
- The Grand Imam of Egypt's Al-Azhar also condemned the killings.
Why this is a shock for Jordan
Jordan has long presented itself as a model of Muslim-Christian coexistence. Al Jazeera puts its Christian population at about 300,000 out of roughly 11.5 million people. Attacks on churches there are rare. Karak itself saw violence in December 2016, when gunmen linked to ISIL (ISIS) attacked police and tourists around Karak Castle and 10 people were killed.
The shooting also comes at a tense time for the region: fighting in the West Bank, Houthi attacks around the Gulf and a standoff over Iran have kept Jordan's security services on alert.
What is still unclear
- Who carried it out. No group has claimed responsibility. Officials have not linked the attackers to any organisation.
- The final death toll. Official and Reuters figures differ (8 vs 9), and one person remains in critical condition.
- The motive and whether the funeral was targeted for a specific reason.
Related reading on HorizonDesk
- Hebron attack: Israel seals the West Bank as the UN raises alarm
- Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and the US embassy departure order
- Reports of US-Israel plans for Iran strikes and tankers hit near Hormuz
- Petra, Jordan: a guide for Indian travellers
Sources
- The Guardian / Reuters: Gunmen open fire at church funeral in Jordan (24 Oct 2026)
- Al Jazeera: Who was behind the deadly church shooting in Jordan? (24 Oct 2026)
- Roya News: Karak mourns eight victims killed in Humud church attack
- AP: Gunmen attack Greek Orthodox church in Jordan's Karak
- BBC News: Jordan church shooting
