Jordan church attack survivor says assailant pointed handgun at him

Jordan has increased security measures at various locations following a deadly church attack that left eight people dead and 40 injured. The assailants fired on a Greek Orthodox church in Karak governorate on Friday during a funeral, committing an act of extremist terrorism. The US embassy in Amman reported the incident on Saturday.

Authorities are still searching for the attackers and have not claimed responsibility. Such incidents are uncommon in Jordan, although the country has thwarted multiple plots by Islamist militants in recent years. Authorities are uncertain if the attackers had ties to known groups within or outside Jordan.

The attack occurred at a church approximately 120km southwest of the capital, Amman. King Abdullah, a US ally in the fight against militant Islamist groups, visited Karak the day after the attack and vowed that the perpetrators would face punishment with an "iron fist." Christians constitute a minority of Jordan's population, and the nation is renowned for its numerous biblical sites that draw Christian pilgrims from across the globe.

Jordan has been one of the US allies in the Middle East to suffer attacks from Iran this year, following US and Israel strikes against Iran in February.