Jordan: King Threatens Terrorists with an 'Iron Hand'

Amman – Agencies: The death toll from the attack on a church in Karak Governorate, southern Jordan, rose to nine on Friday following a new figure announced by Health Minister Ibrahim Al-Badour. Speaking to Agence France-Presse, the minister said, “The number of martyrs killed in the attack on the church in Al-Hamoud village in Karak has risen to nine after one of the critically injured patients died.” According to the minister, 26 injured people are still receiving hospital treatment, including one in critical condition.

This comes as Jordanians prepare to bury the victims amid an official mourning period in the kingdom, while investigations continue to identify the perpetrators. Armed extremists launched a bloody attack inside and outside the Greek Orthodox church in Karak Governorate, located 118 kilometers south of Amman. The state-owned “Al-Mamlaka” channel broadcast a video showing three gunmen firing toward the church during a funeral procession, before advancing toward the entrance while continuing to shoot, in a very rare incident in the kingdom.

King Abdullah II vowed to impose the “harshest penalties” on those responsible for the “terrorist act,” affirming, “We will strike with an iron fist anyone who dares to threaten this country.” He wrote on the X platform, “Those who thought that bullets of treachery could split the ranks of Jordanians have failed in their endeavor in the face of our resilience and unity.”

Meanwhile, Arab and international reactions condemning the terrorist attack continued to pour in. Qassim Al-Bedaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), expressed his strong condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist attack. In a statement, he affirmed that these criminal acts constitute a reprehensible assault that contradicts all human values and ethical principles. He emphasized the GCC’s full solidarity with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and its support for all measures taken to protect its security, stability, and the safety of its citizens. Al-Bedaiwi reaffirmed the GCC’s firm stance rejecting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, regardless of motives or justifications, and stressed the necessity of combining regional and international efforts to confront this serious scourge and eradicate it at its roots.

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the terrorist attack targeting Karak, affirming in a statement the kingdom’s solidarity with Jordan, both government and people, and its rejection of all terrorist acts attempting to undermine its security and stability. The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs also strongly condemned the attack on Friday, reiterating Qatar’s firm position rejecting violence, terrorism, and criminal acts, regardless of motives or reasons. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a declaration its “strong condemnation of these terrorist and criminal acts, and its permanent rejection of all forms of violence, extremism, and terrorism aimed at destabilizing security and stability.” The Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs also strongly condemned the attack, affirming in a statement the Sultanate’s “firm position rejecting all forms of violence and targeting places of worship and terrorizing the innocent.” Bahrain affirmed its full solidarity with Jordan and its support for the measures taken to preserve its security and stability, as well as its efforts to “combat extremism and terrorism, track down the perpetrators, and bring them to justice.”

For his part, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi condemned the attack, stating on the X platform, “I affirm Egypt’s standing by the side of our brother Jordan in confronting this heinous incident, and all forms of violence and terrorism.”

The Syrian Foreign Ministry, in a statement carried by SANA news agency, affirmed Damascus’s full solidarity and unwavering support for Jordan, both its leadership and its people, in confronting any threats to its security, stability, and national fabric, and its firm rejection of all forms of terrorism targeting citizens’ safety. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun also stated that this criminal act is contrary to all religious and human values, reiterating that terrorism has no religion or homeland. UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned the terrorist attack, emphasizing the need to hold the perpetrators accountable.