Source : Perth Now news
Security has been stepped up at shopping centres, foreign embassies and other locations across Jordan, the US embassy says, after a deadly attack on a church in Jordan that authorities describe as a terrorist act by extremists.
Seven people were killed and 40 were injured on Friday 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 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 after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February.
