Death toll in Friday's church attack in Jordan rises to eight (Health Minister)

The death toll from Friday's attack on a church in Karak province, south of Amman, has risen to eight, according to a new tally announced Saturday by Health Minister Ibrahim al-Badour.

"The number of martyrs who fell in the attack on the church in the village of al-Hamoud in Karak has risen to eight after one of the critically injured succumbed to his wounds," the minister told AFP by telephone.

According to the minister, 26 people are still receiving treatment in hospitals, including one in critical condition.

Seven people were killed Friday in a shooting carried out by "extremist" gunmen inside and outside the Greek Orthodox church in Karak province, 118 kilometers south of Amman, according to an initial toll announced by Jordanian authorities on Friday.

The official Al-Mamlaka TV channel broadcast a video showing three gunmen opening fire on a church during a funeral procession, before advancing towards the entrance and continuing to fire. This is a very rare occurrence in the Kingdom.

King Abdullah II vowed to impose the "harshest punishment" on the perpetrators of this "terrorist act," emphasizing, "We will strike with an iron fist against anyone who attacks this country."

He wrote on the X platform, "Whoever imagined that the bullets of treachery could divide the ranks of Jordanians has failed in the face of our steadfastness and unity."

The Karak Governorate, with a population of approximately 375,000, has a significant Christian presence, including clans such as the Halsa and Hijazeen. Christian families reside in specific neighborhoods, such as the "Christian Quarter" in the city center.

In 2016, the Karak Governorate witnessed a series of attacks, most of which were attributed to the Islamic State group. The deadliest of these was an attack targeting a security center and police patrols, which resulted in ten deaths, including seven security personnel and a tourist, in December. Four gunmen who had barricaded themselves inside Karak Castle were subsequently killed during a confrontation with security forces.