Seven people were killed and 34 others wounded in an attack on a church in Jordan’s southern al-Karak governorate on Friday, the country’s Public Security Director said at a press conference, adding that the search for the attackers was ongoing.
The official said 27 of the wounded were receiving treatment in hospitals.
Jordan’s interior minister said during the same press conference that a group of “extremists” had carried out the attack.
Earlier, an eyewitness told Jordan’s state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka that a vehicle carrying gunmen arrived at the scene. The attackers opened fire continuously for five minutes before fleeing.
Between 150 and 200 people were inside and around the church at the time of the attack, the witness said, adding that most of the victims were between 50 and 70 years old.
Al-Karak is home to a significant Christian community in Jordan, a country with a Muslim-majority population.
