US embassy says security ramped up in Jordan after deadly church attack

Gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud, located in Jordan’s Karak governorate, on Friday. According to the head of Jordan’s Public Security Directorate, seven people were killed and dozens were injured. Al-Monitor reports that 40 people were wounded during the incident, where gunmen opened fire continuously for several minutes. Dawn reports that the assailants arrived in a vehicle before storming the compound.

Authorities have described the incident as a terrorist act committed by extremists, and a manhunt for the perpetrators is underway. While there was no immediate claim of responsibility, the Public Security Directorate stated it was too early to determine if the attackers have links to known groups inside or outside the country. King Abdullah II stated on X that the attack would be met with the harshest retaliation.

In response to the attack, the US embassy in Amman stated that security has been increased at foreign embassies, malls, and other locations across Jordan. Additionally, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Office issued statements strongly condemning the attack and expressing condolences to the Jordanian government and the bereaved families.

Brief written by urgent.news from Business Recorder, Daily Times, Al-Monitor, Dawn, Dawn - Pakistan — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.