Church Attack in Jordan: 9 People Killed in Armed Incident
Nine people were killed and 40 others were injured in an armed attack on a church in Jordan's Karak Governorate. A survivor who lost her cousin in the attack recounted the moments of the incident.
An armed attack was carried out during a funeral service at a Greek Orthodox church located in the Karak Governorate, approximately 120 kilometers southwest of the Jordanian capital Amman. Nine people lost their lives and 40 others were injured in the incident.
Sahar al-Halsa, a survivor of the church attack, stated that she heard gunshots and screams during the funeral service and hid behind a pillar. Stating that she saw the attackers and her wounded cousin Assem lying on the ground when she went outside amidst the chaos, al-Halsa said that her cousin opened his eyes and looked at her, but passed away shortly after.
Following Friday's attack, which witnesses said lasted for minutes, King Abdullah instructed security forces to respond with an "iron fist" to extremist terrorism. During Sunday's funeral, the coffins of eight victims were draped in Jordanian flags and buried in the cemetery in the village of Hamoud. Authorities reported that efforts to identify the attackers are ongoing and no group has claimed responsibility yet.
Sources
- usnews.com · Link