Nine mourners were killed in a shooting at a Jordan church, with the wounded toll disputed.
Why it matters: The attack puts Jordan's domestic security and protection of religious minorities under scrutiny, with potential implications for public confidence and tourism. Authorities have called it terrorism, but no perpetrator or group affiliation has been identified.
- At least three gunmen were visible in surveillance footage reviewed by ABC News; this does not establish the number of confirmed assailants.
- The death toll rose from seven to nine after two wounded victims died in hospital, according to Jordan's Public Security Directorate.
- Jordanian officials initially reported 34 wounded, while ABC News reported about 40; the final wounded total remains unconfirmed.
- As of October 24, authorities had not publicly identified or arrested the attackers, and no group had claimed responsibility.
At least three unidentified gunmen were visible approaching St. George's Greek Orthodox Church and opening fire during a funeral in Hamoud village, in Jordan's southern Karak Governorate, on Friday, October 23, 2026. ABC News reported that it verified surveillance footage showing at least three gunmen. The footage establishes what was visible on video, not the number of confirmed assailants.
The Jordanian Interior Ministry and Public Security Directorate described the shooting as a terrorist attack. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan separately called it the result of "terrorist ideology and blind extremism," according to the same official account. Those statements are official characterizations; authorities have not identified a perpetrator or established any group's affiliation.
The Public Security Directorate said the death toll rose from seven to nine after two wounded victims died in hospital, according to Petra's report. Jordanian officials initially reported 34 wounded. ABC News reported about 40 wounded. The materials available for this article do not establish whether the difference reflects different reporting times, counting methods or separate totals, so the final wounded figure remains unconfirmed.
The government ordered three days of national mourning. King Abdullah II chaired a National Security Council meeting on October 24 and said, "The security and safety of Jordanians are a red line," in the official account. No group had claimed responsibility as of October 24, and authorities had not publicly identified or arrested the attackers.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem condemned the shooting. ABC News also placed the attack in the context of Jordan's history of militant violence, including the 2016 attacks around Karak Castle.
By the numbers
- 9 - deaths reported after two wounded victims died in hospital
- 34 - wounded in the initial figure reported by Jordanian officials
- About 40 - wounded reported by ABC News; the final total is unconfirmed
Yes, but: The casualty figures do not match: Petra's official account gives 34 wounded, while ABC News reports about 40. The supplied reporting does not explain the gap, so 34 should not be presented as the definitive final wounded total.
What's next: The investigation was ongoing as of October 24. Authorities had not publicly identified or arrested the attackers, and no group had claimed responsibility.