Events / Event: Jordan
Event: Jordan
Friday, October 23, 2026 · 9:31 PM EDTEntities: karak, interior, hmoud, extremists", jordan, bbc, mazen al-faraya, khalid al-mdanat
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Seven people have been killed in an attack on a funeral in central Jordan, officials have said.At least 34 others were injured as gunmen opened fire on a church in Hmoud, in the Karak governorate on Friday.The unidentified gunmen are reported to have arrived in a car, entered the church and opened fire before fleeing. No-one has admitted carrying out the attack.In a news conference, Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said authorities were working to apprehend the perpetrators which he described as a "group of extremists".Jordan's King Abdullah II said authorities would "confront the terrorist act that targeted Karak with the harshest penalties".Initial reports indicated seven people had been killed in the attack. A government spokesperson later said six people had died, before officials again revised the death toll to seven.CCTV footage, verified by the BBC, appears to shows three gunmen making their way from a road toward the church.Two of the attackers are seen making their way on to what appears to be a vehicle entrance to the church grounds, before retreating briefly and returning with a third man. All three appear to be armed with handguns.Separate footage believed to be from the aftermath of the attack appears to show several dead and wounded bodies on the ground amid chaotic scenes.Witnesses have described scenes of panic inside the church as people threw themselves under pews searching for cover, moving away from the windows.Prayers and screams could be heard throughout the building as some tried to flee.Khalid al-Mdanat was at the church and told BBC Arabic the attack lasted around 15 minutes with "people trying to flee while the shooting was still active"."People began pushing and throwing themselves to the ground," he said."Some were taking cover, some were cradling the dead, others were holding their sons close, some were grabbing their…