Christian World | Jordan declared three days of national mourning after gunmen attacked a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak; the health minister says 7 were killed and 40 wounded

ACW | October 23, 2026 — Jordan declared three days of national mourning after gunmen attacked a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak governorate on Friday, October 23, killing seven people, according to the health minister.

Health Minister Ibrahim Al-Badour told a press conference in Karak that 40 people wounded in the attack were treated in hospitals. According to the daily Al-Quds, he said 14 were taken to Karak Government Hospital and 26 to Prince Ali Military Hospital.

Earlier, Public Security Director Obeidallah Al-Maaytah had put the number of wounded at 34. In the first hours, a government spokesman had reported six dead and 28 wounded.

The attack took place during a funeral at the church in the village of Hamoud, in the Qasabat Karak district. Al-Mamlaka TV reported that police were alerted to the shooting at 2:10 p.m. on Friday.

Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya said in Karak: "We are facing a terrorist operation," carried out, he said, by "a group of extremists." He added that security agencies were working around the clock to reach the perpetrators.

At the time of publication, no arrests had been reported and no group had claimed responsibility. Reports differ on the exact number of attackers. Al Jazeera reported that Jordan's Attorney General has banned publication of details of the investigation.

King Abdullah II wrote on X that the perpetrators would face "the harshest penalties" and, according to Al-Quds, visited the wounded in hospital. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan declared three days of national mourning, with flags lowered across the kingdom.

Background: According to AFP, Karak in southern Jordan has a large Christian community, and such attacks are rare in the country. In December 2016, gunmen killed 10 people in a series of attacks in Karak.

Why it matters: Christians make up 2 to 3 percent of Jordan's population, according to Jordan's Tourism Ministry as cited by AFP. An armed attack on a funeral inside a church has deepened concerns about the safety of Christian worshippers, places of worship and freedom of religion or belief in Jordan.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Sources: Al-Mamlaka TV — Public Security Director's press conference in Karak; Al-Quds — national mourning and health minister's figures; Nesan — Interior Minister's remarks; Al Jazeera — publication ban on the investigation

Photo: Berthold Werner, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 (illustrative)

Update, October 24, 2026: added the health minister's figures, the national mourning, the interior minister's remarks and the publication ban.

Correction, October 24, 2026: an earlier version said the Public Security Director reported 27 wounded; he reported 34 wounded.