Gunmen open fire at church funeral in Jordan: six dead, 28 injured
Attackers who arrived by car shot at mourners inside a church in Hmoud, in Jordan's Karak governorate, then fled. A manhunt is under way and no one has claimed responsibility.
Six people were killed and 28 wounded on Friday when gunmen opened fire during a funeral service at a church in the village of Hmoud, in Jordan's Karak governorate, south of the capital Amman, government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani said. He called the attack "heinous" and said security forces had been sent to the area, where a manhunt for the attackers is under way.
According to initial reports, the attackers arrived by car, started shooting inside the church and then fled. Khaled Burqan, one of the mourners, told the state broadcaster al-Mamlaka that two men armed with a rifle and a pistol kept firing at the congregation for several minutes. One witness told the AFP news agency that between 150 and 200 people were inside at the time. Security camera footage verified by the BBC appears to show three armed men walking from a road towards the church.
No group has claimed responsibility so far. Jordan's prime minister is due to chair a meeting of the country's Security Council with all ministers, and interior ministry officials are expected to brief the press.
Karak is home to a sizeable Christian community in the mostly Muslim kingdom. Attacks of this kind are rare in Jordan, although the country has suffered deadly attacks in the past.