Jordan has heightened security around major public and diplomatic locations following a shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak governorate that left eight people dead and 40 others injured.
The attack occurred on Friday as mourners gathered for a funeral, with gunmen reportedly opening fire for several minutes before fleeing the scene.
Jordanian authorities have described the incident as an act of extremist terrorism, although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Security agencies continued their search for the suspected attackers on Saturday as investigations focused on the circumstances surrounding the shooting and whether those involved had links to militant groups operating within or outside Jordan.
The United States Embassy in Amman said additional security measures had been introduced around shopping centres, foreign embassies and other locations following the attack.
At a hospital where some of the victims were receiving treatment, Tarek Ammarin described the incident as a massacre. One of his relatives was among those wounded.
Police were also deployed around Hamoud Church, located about 120 kilometres southwest of Amman, the Jordanian capital.
Jordanian Prime Minister Jafar Hassan condemned the attack, blaming extremist ideology for the violence and warning that such beliefs would not be allowed to undermine the country’s stability.
“This is a result of a terrorist ideology and blind extremism and we will not allow society to go down this path,” Hassan said in a post on X.
King Abdullah visited Karak several hours after the attack and vowed that those responsible would face severe punishment, saying they would be dealt with “with an iron fist”.
Attacks of this scale are uncommon in Jordan, although security officials in the US-allied kingdom have previously reported disrupting plots linked to Islamist militants.
Christians make up a minority of Jordan’s population, while the country is home to several biblical sites that attract Christian pilgrims from around the world.
Jordan has also faced growing regional security concerns this year, including Iranian attacks on US allies in the Middle East following US and Israeli strikes against Iran in February.
Goodness Anunobi
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