Gunmen Kill Eight at Greek Orthodox Church in Jordan During Funeral
Three gunmen opened fire on mourners at a Greek Orthodox church in Hmoud, Jordan on October 23, killing at least eight people and wounding 40 others. The attack occurred during a funeral procession attended by 150 to 200 people. King Abdullah II condemned the shooting as terrorism and declared three days of national mourning.
Three gunmen attacked a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hmoud, in Jordan's Karak governorate, on October 23, 2026, killing at least eight people and wounding approximately 40 others.
The attack took place around 3:00 p.m. local time as mourners gathered for a funeral. Between 150 and 200 people were attending the service when the gunmen arrived by vehicle and opened fire with handguns and at least one AK-47. Surveillance footage verified by the BBC shows the attackers firing from outside the church before entering the building.
Most of the victims were between 50 and 70 years old. The Jordanian Armed Forces airlifted several critically wounded individuals to the King Hussein Medical Center in Amman.
Jordanian authorities described the perpetrators as "a group of extremists." An unverified video surfaced showing the gunmen pledging allegiance to the Islamic State, though the group has not officially claimed the attack.
King Abdullah II visited survivors at the hospital while wearing a field uniform associated with the Jordanian Special Operations Forces. He vowed to strike with an "iron fist" against those responsible.
The government declared three days of national mourning and flew flags at half-mast. A solidarity vigil in Amman drew religious and political leaders from across the country, emphasizing the long-standing coexistence between Jordan's Muslim and Christian communities.
The attack drew international condemnation from the United Arab Emirates, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz.
Jordan's Christian community makes up roughly 2 to 4 percent of the country's population. The Karak governorate, where the attack occurred, has historically been home to one of Jordan's oldest Christian communities.
