Market Jitters Amid Karak Church Violence

Authorities are launching a rapid investigation into a shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, Jordan, that left seven people dead and 40 wounded during a funeral service on Friday. The assault occurred in a town located roughly 90 kilometers south of the capital, Amman, marking a significant security event for the region.

State television footage depicted two men appearing to carry pistols approaching the building and firing shots, while a third man with what seemed to be a semiautomatic rifle also discharged a weapon before all three moved toward the church. Witness recordings captured shattered glass and pools of blood on the church floor. One mourner, Dorgham Halasa, reported that heavy gunfire erupted approximately 15 minutes into the service, causing people to flee. Halasa did not see the attackers directly but stated that others reported spotting four individuals.

The government characterized the incident as having been "carried out by unknown assailants" and did not confirm if any suspects had been detained or killed. Investigations are described as proceeding at full speed. Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour noted that two of the injured remain in critical condition.

King Abdullah II announced via X that Jordan will confront the act targeting Karak with the harshest penalties, offering condolences to the families of the martyrs. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, speaking at a security meeting in Karak, attributed the event to terrorist ideology and blind extremism, promising legal action against those promoting such views. Jordan has declared three days of national mourning.

The town is home to a minority Christian population and has experienced violence previously, including a 2016 ambush involving police and gunmen at a Crusader castle, which resulted in ten deaths and numerous injuries. Regional condemnation arrived from Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, and Oman. In Cairo, Ahmed al-Tayeb, grand imam of Al-Azhar, described the shooting as a "heinous terrorist attack."

International bodies also weighed in on the violence. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the incident as "especially heinous" due to its timing during a funeral, according to spokesman Stephane Dujarric. The secretary-general also calls for all those responsible to be found and to be held account.