A survivor of the deadly attack on a church in Jordan has described how he crawled for his life as gunmen fired more bullets into the dying. Nine people were killed in the shooting on a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, 55 miles from Jordan's capital, Amman, on Friday. Another 40 have been wounded.
Attack During a Funeral
The motive for the attack remains unclear, although Karak is home to a minority Christian population. There was still no claim of responsibility, and no armed group has been accused of the attack that Jordan’s government described as a “terrorist” act. King Abdullah II directed authorities to respond with “an iron fist” against what he called the outlaws of Islam and anyone attempting to undermine the unity of the Jordanian people.
Friday’s attack happened as people had gathered for a funeral. Some people were chatting outside the church when something sounded like an engine backfiring. Witness Saed al-Halaseh recalled how the sombre occasion became a horrific tragedy: “All of a sudden, three masked men appeared, armed with automatic weapons, and began firing indiscriminately at those of us standing outside.”
Witness Describes Shooting
“They weren’t satisfied with just the initial casualties. They went back and fired on everyone again. They returned to finish off those who had already been hit,” he added. “Even then, they weren’t finished; they came and stood right here, firing at the facade of the church, this part right here.”
Al-Halaseh described how people he knew were shot in the head or the back as others tried to flee. He dropped to the ground and crawled behind a nearby car, which he said saved him. Jordan, and especially Karak, has been seen as a symbol of religious coexistence, al-Halaseh said.
Impact on Community
“The sense of security we once had, the very foundation we grew up with, has, sadly, vanished,” he added. “They were simply mourners at a funeral. I cannot fathom what the perpetrators could have possibly wanted from them. I don’t believe any religion in the world could condone what happened. It was truly a massacre.”
