Seven people were killed in a shooting at the Hamoud Church in Karak governorate, Jordan, on Friday, 23 October 2026. Jordan’s health minister reported that 40 people were wounded in the attack. Witness Ihab Ammareen described the scene, stating, "People were crying, wailing, screaming — it's hard to describe." Prime Minister Jafar Hassan condemned the violence, saying, "This is a result of a terrorist ideology and blind extremism and we will not allow society to go down this path." King Abdullah stated, "The terrorist attack against Karak will be met with the harshest retaliation. Those who delude themselves into thinking that they can divide Jordanians with their bullets have no chance in the face of our unity." US ambassador Mike Waltz called it a "depraved and brutal attack."
Details of the Attack
Security camera footage captured three individuals firing weapons at the Hamoud Church from a nearby sidewalk. The recordings show the group discharging firearms toward the building before running in the direction of the church entrance. The visual evidence recorded by the security systems provides a clear timeline of the assault, documenting the moment the three individuals opened fire from the sidewalk before they moved rapidly toward the building's entrance. The footage remains a focal point for investigators as they piece together the sequence of events that led to the casualties at the site.
Major General Abdallah al-Maaytah confirmed that the search for these suspects remains active. The hunt for the attackers is ongoing, with Major General Abdallah al-Maaytah overseeing the tactical operations currently underway. Law enforcement agencies continue their efforts to locate the individuals involved in the shooting throughout the Karak governorate, deploying resources to secure the area and track the movements of the suspects who fled the scene.
Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh characterized the perpetrators as extremists following the incident. Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh described the perpetrators as extremists, emphasizing the nature of the ideology behind the assault. Local residents have expressed deep shock regarding the violence and the ideological origins of the assault. Hani Al-Mbaydeen reflected on the impact of the event on the local community, stating, "What happened today has left people unable to speak or raise our voices. But our only reproach to the state is that it must investigate these dark ideas — where they come from and how they enter the minds of our children."
The investigation into the shooting continues to command the full attention of the Jordanian authorities as they work to identify the specific affiliations and motivations of the three individuals captured on the security recordings. The community in Karak governorate remains under heightened security measures while the search operation continues across the region. Officials are currently reviewing all available intelligence to determine the origins of the weapons used and the path taken by the suspects after they approached the church entrance. The government has reiterated its commitment to maintaining order and ensuring that those responsible for the violence are brought to justice. The atmosphere in the governorate remains tense as residents process the scale of the tragedy and the implications of the extremist act that occurred on Friday.
