At least seven people were killed and dozens wounded on Friday, October 23, 2026, when gunmen opened fire on mourners gathered for a funeral service at St. George's Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud, in Jordan's southern Karak province. The Public Security Directorate described the shooting as a terrorist attack against Christians, and a nationwide manhunt was launched as security forces fanned out across the region.

The casualty toll was revised several times throughout the day as more information surfaced. CNN's latest reporting put the toll at seven dead and 27 injured, while other outlets including the BBC and the National Catholic Register reported six killed and 28 wounded. Up to 200 people were believed to have been at the funeral at the time of the attack.

What happened in Karak

According to Jordan's state-run Al-Mamlaka television and witness accounts, the attack began during a Friday funeral procession at the church. Two men got out of a vehicle and began shooting; a witness told CNN that at least three gunmen were captured on security camera footage opening fire on the street before heading toward the church. Survivors told local media they heard an explosion as the procession started, after which masked attackers broke into the church and began firing.

A funeral attendee named Khaled Burqan told Al-Mamlaka that dozens of people were at the procession, and that one of the assailants carried a rifle while the other carried a pistol. Another eyewitness, Tamer Halasa, said two people got out of a vehicle and started shooting at the gathering. A witness speaking to CNN said the attack "lasted a long time," with gunmen shouting as they targeted the courtyard of the church, where most of the mourners were standing.

"It was a massacre. I did not imagine I would get out alive," a woman who hid behind the altar with other mourners told CNN. "They struck people who were gathered to grieve and mourn. I never ever imagined anything like this would ever happen anywhere in Jordan."

One witness told Al-Mamlaka that one attacker was carrying an AK-47 Kalashnikov rifle, and the shooting continued for several minutes. Security footage circulating on social media showed gunmen running toward the packed church and opening fire as they entered the compound.

Official response: 'iron fist'

Jordan's Public Security Directorate said in a news conference on Friday afternoon that the "unidentified" gunmen had not yet been captured and that security forces were pursuing them. The agency warned against circulating unofficial information about the incident, urging the public to rely on official statements. Government communications minister Mohammad Momani said security agencies were responding at the scene and that information would be released once verified.

King Abdullah II said Jordan would respond "harshly" against those responsible for what he called a terrorist act. As European capitals tighten security this week, the Jordanian monarch's statement underlined the gravity of the attack.

"The blood of Jordanians is precious, and we will strike those who transgress against this country with an iron fist," the king said on X. "Whoever imagines that the bullets of treachery can divide the ranks of Jordanians will fail in his endeavour before our steadfastness and unity."

Prime Minister Hassan also convened an emergency evening session of the Supreme Security Council, gathering all government ministers and top security officials to evaluate the national threat landscape, according to regional reporting.

International reactions

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the only Christian head of state in the Arab world, described the shooting as a "heinous terrorist attack," saying it "reaffirms once again that terrorism has no religion and no homeland" and that its aim is "to strike at coexistence and spread strife."

The attack drew widespread shock across the region. Karak is home to a minority Christian population in a province where most residents are Sunni Muslims, and deadly attacks of this kind are extremely rare in Jordan — a country long regarded as an island of relative stability in a volatile Middle East. The shooting comes amid heightened regional tensions across the Levant.

Jordan's Christian community and a history of coexistence

Christians, numbering about 300,000 people, make up a small minority of Jordan's population of roughly 11.5 million. The country is home to several biblical sites that attract Christian pilgrims from around the world, including Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where Jesus is believed to have been baptized.

The village of Hamoud and the wider Karak province are home to historic Christian communities alongside Muslim residents. Taylor Luck, senior Middle East correspondent at the Christian Science Monitor, told Al Jazeera that Christians and Muslims in Karak have "lived side by side for generations," and that the community "prides themselves on its interfaith solidarity and coexistence."

Political analyst Xavier Abu Eid told Al Jazeera that the shooting holds significance not only for Jordan's Christian population but also for Amman's "public diplomacy" as a custodian of both Christian and Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem.

Not the first attack on Karak

This is not the first time Karak has come under attack. In 2016, a deadly ISIL (ISIS) assault saw fighters hole up in the town's Crusader-era castle, killing 10 people — including security officers and a Canadian tourist — before Jordanian security forces shot and killed the attackers. The castle attack remains the closest comparable mass-casualty security crisis in the country's recent history.

The latest comparable security crises underscore a pattern: militant attacks on civilian gatherings remain a regional concern, and Friday's shooting is already being described as unprecedented in its targeting of a church service.

What we know so far: key facts

  • When: Friday, October 23, 2026, during a funeral service in the afternoon.
  • Where: St. George's Greek Orthodox church in Hamoud village, Karak province, about 120 km (75 miles) south of Amman.
  • Casualties: At least seven killed (CNN's latest figure); 27–28 wounded, some seriously. Most victims were aged between 50 and 70, locals said.
  • Attackers: Two to three gunmen, reportedly armed with a rifle and pistols; described as masked. They fled after the attack.
  • Status: No group has claimed responsibility; identities and motive unannounced; manhunt underway.
  • Official line: Terrorist attack; king vowed "iron fist" response; public urged to follow official sources.

What comes next

Investigations were continuing late Friday, with security forces deployed around the church and the wider Karak province. Authorities have not announced the suspects' identities or a motive, and no group has claimed responsibility. The coming days are likely to bring further official statements as the manhunt progresses and the investigation firms up the casualty figures and the full sequence of events.

For Jordan, a country whose stability has long set it apart in the region, the attack is a shocking breach — and a test of the national unity King Abdullah invoked in his response. As Luck observed, if the attack was "intended to create divisions, we are likely to see this community come back even stronger."

Sources

Reporting drawn from CNN's live coverage of the Jordan church shooting (October 23, 2026), BBC News Middle East dispatches, the National Catholic Register / CNA report, Al Jazeera's background reporting on Karak's Christian communities, and regional wire coverage. Casualty figures reflect official statements and wire-service reporting as of Friday, October 23, 2026; figures were revised through the day.