US Embassy Warns Its Citizens in Jordan After Attack on Church in Karak

The US Embassy in Jordan on Saturday urged its citizens to exercise caution and avoid gatherings and areas with a heavy security presence, following an attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Karak Governorate in the south of the kingdom, which killed 7 people and injured 27 others.

This came in a security alert issued by the Embassy on Saturday, stating that it "closely monitors the terrorist attack" that targeted a church in Hamoud village in Karak Governorate, killing 7 people and injuring 27 others receiving treatment.

It clarified that Jordanian security agencies are continuing to pursue the perpetrators of the attack and have established a security cordon around the incident site, while investigations are ongoing. It also pointed to tightened security measures at shopping centers and other locations, including foreign embassies in the capital Amman, warning its citizens of a possible increased police presence in various areas of the kingdom.

The Embassy urged American citizens to follow developments through official Jordanian sources and local media, and to comply with the instructions of security authorities. It also called on them to avoid demonstrations, large gatherings, and areas with heavy security presence, to exercise caution at sites associated with the United States, and to report any suspicious activities immediately.

On Friday, the Jordanian Public Security Directorate announced the death of 7 people and the injury of 27 others in the attack that targeted mourners during a funeral at Hamoud Church in Karak Governorate, while Interior Minister Mazen al-Farayeh confirmed the continuation of security efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Jordanian King Abdullah II vowed to confront the attack "with the harshest penalties," affirming the unity of Jordanians in facing terrorism. The King said in a post on the American platform "X": "Whoever thinks that bullets of treachery can split the ranks of Jordanians has failed in his endeavor before our firmness and unity."

He added: "The blood of Jordanians is precious, and we will strike with an iron fist those who have dared to attack this country."

Source: Anadolu Agency