King Abdullah releases message after shooting

King Abdullah II has released a message following a terrorist shooting in Jordan’s Karak Governorate that left multiple dead and dozens more injured.

A rare shooting in Jordan’s Karak governorate has left six people dead and at least 34 injured on Friday, according to the country’s interior minister Mazen Al-Faraya, after a “group of extremists” opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church about 180 kilometres south of the capital, Amman.

The BBC reports that the gunmen arrived by car, entered the church compound and opened fire before fleeing in the village of Hammoud. State-run television has aired video which shows the unidentified men firing on mourners from a sidewalk, before running towards the church’s entrance. Two men are reported to have been armed with rifles, while the other carried a pistol.

Graphic video shared on social media showed the bloodied bodies of attendees with shoes and glass strewn across the floor as those spared began to help the injured.

King Abdullah II has said that those responsible for the heinous act will face the “harshest retaliation” and that “their bullets have no chance” of dividing the Hashemite Kingdom.

The terrorist attack against Karak will be met with the harshest retaliation. Those who delude themselves into thinking that they can divide Jordanians with their bullets have no chance in the face of our unity. All Jordanians, from north to south, are partners in land and fate, and nothing stands between them. Our deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured. Every Jordanian life is precious, and we will strike with an iron fist against those who dare to threaten our nation. —King Abullah II