Story perspectives

Jordan declares mourning after church attack kills nine

By Drooid · Oct 25, 2026, 10:13 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Gunmen Attack Church

Gunmen opened fire on mourners at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, 55 miles south of Amman.
Three masked attackers used automatic weapons, firing repeatedly at the church façade.
The assault left nine dead and nearly 40 wounded, with no group claiming responsibility.
King Abdullah II called the attack a terrorist act, blamed outlaws of Islam, and ordered an iron-fist response.

Summary

Jordan Declares Mourning

The U.S. Embassy in Amman announced heightened security at malls, embassies and public sites nationwide.
Iraq’s Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and Kurdistan President Barzani condemned the attack and pledged solidarity with Jordan.
Jordan declared three days of national mourning, ordering flags at half-staff on all government buildings.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the funeral attack ‘especially heinous’ and demanded accountability.

History

Historical Context

On 9 November 2005 al-Qaeda in Iraq detonated suicide bombs at three Amman hotels, killing about 60 people and wounding 115. King Abdullah II ordered mass arrests and new anti-terror laws, marking Jordan’s first major security overhaul after earlier foiled plots. The 2024 church shooting echoes that pattern, reminding officials of the nation’s lingering vulnerability to attacks on public venues.

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Gunmen Attack Church

Gunmen opened fire on mourners at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, 55 miles south of Amman.
Three masked attackers used automatic weapons, firing repeatedly at the church façade.
The assault left nine dead and nearly 40 wounded, with no group claiming responsibility.
King Abdullah II called the attack a terrorist act, blamed outlaws of Islam, and ordered an iron-fist response.

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