Jordan church attack survivor says her cousin died before her eyes
By AbdelHadi Ramahi HAMOUD, Jordan, Oct 25 (Reuters) - When gunmen began opening fire on a church in Jordan,Sahar al-Halsa hid behind a pillar as she heard the shooting and people screamed in panic during a funeral service for her cousin's daughter. When she rushed outside in the chaos, she said she spotted the assailants and another cousin lying on the ground wounded. "I went to him and said:…
A funeral for nine Christians slain by gunmen in Jordan is set to take place on Sunday at the site of the attack. On Friday, assailants fired upon the St George's Greek Orthodox church compound in Hamoud village, Karak governorate. Jordan's King Abdullah II classified this incident as a "terrorist attack." Karak, situated 100km south of Amman, is home to a Christian minority within a predominantly Muslim nation.
The attack occurred during a funeral service. As of Saturday, the death toll was raised from seven to nine, with none of the three perpetrators apprehended. Security officials briefed the king on recent investigation developments, per the Royal Palace. King Abdullah termed the attackers "outlaws of Islam" and directed the government to reassess counterextremism policies and intensify efforts to eliminate its origins.
On Sunday, security personnel will be present at churches nationwide during Sunday services, marking a rare and unprecedented security enhancement at Christian sites. Such occurrences are infrequent in Jordan, a generally stable country that has faced Iranian threats since the US and Israel carried out strikes against Iran in February. The kingdom houses numerous biblical landmarks that draw Christian pilgrims worldwide.
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