Gunmen attack funeral at church in Jordan's Karak province

On Friday, October 23, 2026, armed attackers opened fire on a crowd attending a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud, located in the Karak governorate of Jordan. Initial reports indicated seven deaths, but the death toll subsequently rose to eight, with approximately 40 people sustaining injuries. Survivors described hearing an explosion before masked gunmen emerged from a vehicle and fired indiscriminately into the congregation for several minutes.

Jordanian authorities, including the Public Security Directorate and the Minister of Interior, Mazen Al-Faraya, have officially classified the incident as an act of "extremist terrorism." King Abdullah II visited victims at the hospital and condemned the violence, vowing that the perpetrators would face the harshest possible punishment. While some reports suggested an unofficial claim of responsibility by ISIS, the Jordanian government has not confirmed any link to a specific organization. Following the attack, the U.S. Embassy in Amman announced increased security measures across sensitive locations in Jordan, including malls and diplomatic sites. Jordanian security forces are currently conducting an intensive manhunt for the suspects, and the nation has observed a period of mourning.