US embassy says security ramped up in Jordan after deadly church attack

By AbdelHadi Ramahi

HAMOUD, Jordan, Oct 24 (Reuters) – The US embassy in Amman said security had been stepped up at malls, foreign embassies and other locations across Jordan after Friday’s deadly attack on a church in Jordan that authorities described as a terrorist act by extremists.

Seven people were killed and 40 were injured when gunmen opened fire continuously for several minutes ​during a funeral at the Greek Orthodox church in Karak governorate, the head of Jordan’s Public Security Directorate said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Such attacks are rare in Jordan, though authorities in the US ally say that in recent years they have repeatedly foiled attempted attacks by Islamist militants.

Authorities said they are still searching for the attackers, adding it was too early to determine whether they had links to known groups inside or outside Jordan.

Reuters video footage showed police patrolling on Saturday outside the Hamoud church, southwest of the capital Amman.

“This is a result of a terrorist ideology and blind extremism and we will not allow society to go down this path,” Prime Minister Jafar Hassan said in a post on X.

Jordan’s King Abdullah, a major US partner in the fight against militant Islamist groups, visited Karak hours after the attack and said the perpetrators would be punished “with an iron fist”.

Christians make up a minority of Jordan’s population. The country is home to several biblical sites that attract Christian pilgrims from around the world.

Jordan has been among US allies in the region to be hit by Iranian attacks this year after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February.

(Reporting by Yasmine Ghania and Eman Abouhassira; Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Mark Potter)