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October 25, 2026
By Joseph Wilson | Dalena Reporters
HAMOUD, Jordan — A survivor of a deadly attack on a Greek Orthodox church in southern Jordan has described the terrifying moments when gunmen opened fire during a funeral service, saying she watched helplessly as her cousin died from his injuries.
Sahar al-Halsa was attending a funeral for her cousin’s daughter at the church in Hamoud, in Jordan’s Karak governorate, on Friday when the shooting began. As gunfire erupted and people screamed in panic, she said she hid behind a pillar for protection.
When the shooting subsided, al-Halsa rushed outside amid the confusion and saw the attackers and her wounded cousin, Assem, lying on the ground.
She said she immediately went to him and called out to him, pleading with him to respond. Assem briefly opened his eyes and looked at her, but soon died from his injuries.
The attack at the Greek Orthodox church, located about 120 kilometres (75 miles) southwest of the Jordanian capital, Amman, killed nine people and wounded 40 others, according to authorities and witnesses. The violence targeted members of Jordan’s Christian minority during a funeral gathering and has shocked a country where attacks of this nature are considered highly unusual.
Jordanian authorities have described the shooting as an act of extremist terrorism. Security forces continued searching for the perpetrators on Sunday, but officials said it was too early to determine whether the attackers were connected to any known militant organisation inside or outside Jordan. No group had immediately claimed responsibility.
The attack prompted King Abdullah to order security forces to respond forcefully against those responsible. The monarch, who is a close US partner in efforts to combat Islamist militant groups, called for an “iron fist” response, according to Reuters.
For al-Halsa, however, the attack has left a deeply personal wound. Speaking from her home, where the red dome of St. George’s Church can be seen nearby, she said she believed she had narrowly escaped death.
“My life starts now, because I was going to die,” she said, reflecting on the attack and her survival.
Her husband, Ziad al-Halsa, said he immediately ran toward the church after hearing the gunfire. His greatest concern was whether his wife had survived.
He later described his relief when he discovered that Sahar was alive, referring to her as the love of his life. At the same time, he mourned relatives who were killed in the attack.
“To my cousins, may God have mercy on them,” he said.
The attack came as mourners gathered for a funeral, turning what should have been a moment of grief and remembrance into a scene of terror. Witness accounts described people fleeing for safety as gunfire continued for several minutes.
Another survivor, Nasser al-Burqan, previously told Reuters that he initially thought he was hearing an exploding air conditioner before realising that the sounds were gunshots. He said he saw two attackers, one masked and another carrying a handgun. One of them allegedly pointed the weapon at him and fired from close range. Burqan's son was also shot in the leg during the attack and taken to hospital.
The scale of the violence became clear as families gathered Sunday to bury the victims. Eight of the victims’ coffins were wrapped in Jordanian flags before being taken to a cemetery in Hamoud, while mourners and religious leaders gathered near the church. The ninth victim was expected to be buried separately.
The killings have also prompted concern over the security of Jordan’s Christian community. Jordan is widely regarded as one of the more stable countries in the region, and attacks targeting Christians are rare. Authorities have said they have previously disrupted Islamist militant plots, but the circumstances and motive behind Friday’s shooting remained under investigation.
The violence has generated expressions of solidarity between Jordan’s Christian and Muslim communities. The attack occurred in a country where Christians represent a small minority of the population, and reports indicated that Muslims were also among those injured.
At the church, priest Yuhanna Hamati sought to emphasize unity rather than division as the community mourned.
“Our message from this church, from this place where this horrific crime was committed, is a message of love, peace, and reassurance,” Hamati said. “A message that we send to the whole world.”
The investigation into the attack remains ongoing, with security forces continuing efforts to identify and apprehend the gunmen. Authorities have not yet established whether the perpetrators acted alone or were connected to a wider extremist network.
For survivors such as al-Halsa, the investigation comes alongside the difficult process of grieving those who did not make it out alive. Her account of finding Assem wounded and watching him die has become one of the most painful personal testimonies from an attack that has shaken the small community in Hamoud.
As families buried their loved ones and residents gathered to mourn, religious leaders urged Jordanians to resist division and preserve the country’s tradition of coexistence.
For al-Halsa, surviving the shooting has brought both relief and profound loss — a reminder that, amid the chaos of the attack, she survived while members of her own family did not.