Oct 23 (Reuters) – Six people were killed and 28 injured on Friday when gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a church in Jordan’s Karak governorate, the country’s Public Security Directorate said in a statement.
Security forces had deployed to the church and were pursuing the suspects, the state-owned Al-Mamlaka television station reported. It said gunmen got out of a vehicle and opened fire during a funeral procession at the Hamoud Church in Karak. Al-Mamlaka previously reported seven had been killed in the attack.
A video aired on Al-Mamlaka that appeared to be from a security camera mounted on the church showed three people firing on the church from a sidewalk and hiding behind trees and a low wall, before running towards the church’s entrance. Reuters was able to verify the video from the entry path and wall surrounding the church, as well as other details.
Khaled Burqan, a man who had been attending the funeral, told Al-Mamlaka that dozens of people had been attending the funeral and at least two men — one carrying a rifle and another carrying a pistol — opened fire on them for several minutes.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack and Jordanian authorities did not say who was responsible.
BLOOD SMEARED ON THE GROUND
Jordan’s King Abdullah said those behind the attack would be punished “with an iron fist”.
“The terrorist attack against Karak will be met with the harshest retaliation. Those who delude themselves into thinking that they can divide Jordanians with their bullets have no chance in the face of our unity,” he said in a statement.
Reuters footage from the church after the attack showed blood smeared on the floor near its entrance, where security forces were deployed.
Such attacks are extremely rare in Jordan, which is relatively stable, though Jordanian authorities say they have repeatedly foiled attempted attacks by Islamist militants in recent years.
Christians make up a minority of Jordan’s population. The country is home to several biblical sites that attract Christian pilgrims from around the world.
Jordan’s Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Mohammad Khalayleh and several members of Jordan’s parliament condemned the attack in comments to Al-Mamlaka.
Jordan has been increasingly targeted by Iranian attacks this year since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February.
(Reporting by Maya Gebeily and Eman Abouhassira; Editing by Philippa Fletcher, Aidan Lewis)
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