the Jordanian monarch, King Abdullah II, on Friday afternoon, commenting on a “terrorist attack” that targeted a church in the city of Karak in the south of the country, reflected a tone of anger and threat, coinciding with raising the security alert level and approving closure measures as part of the search for perpetrators suspected of belonging to the Takfiri movement.
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King Abdullah II said that “the blood of Jordanians is precious,” offering his condolences to the victims of the attack and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured, before vowing: “We will strike with an iron fist anyone who attacks this country.”
The royal post included a reference to “the illusions of treacherous bullets to divide the ranks of Jordanians,” followed by the phrase “their efforts have failed.”
These statements reflect the Jordanian monarch's strong stance on the attack, which Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya described as "the first of its kind in the history of the Kingdom," referring to the targeting of a church in Jordan.
Churches or Christian symbols have never been targeted by gunfire in the Kingdom, even during public confrontations with organizations and groups described as Takfiri or Salafist.
The signs of official Jordanian anger were not limited to the royal position, as the entrances to the city of Karak were closed as part of the search operations for the perpetrators of the attack, and the international desert road was closed in anticipation of their escape.
The Public Prosecution decided to ban publication in the case, in conjunction with directives to the security services to intensify search and arrest operations for those involved, and to investigate the motives and background of the attack.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the Security Council was held in the city of Karak, chaired by Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan, with the participation of officials and ministers, while at least nine ministers headed to the city to follow up on developments and coordinate efforts, including the Ministers of Interior, Health and Local Administration.
Public Security Director Obaidullah Al-Maayta pledged to deliver what he described as “good news soon for Jordanians,” namely “the arrest of criminals.”
Official procedures indicate a widespread mobilization of state institutions and their security and administrative apparatuses, amid anticipation of what the investigations will reveal regarding the motives and background of the attack, and whether there is a link to takfiri groups or cells affiliated with them.
According to the official tally, the death toll has risen to seven, while the number of injured has reached 34, 28 of whom are receiving treatment in hospitals, amid fears that the death toll will rise.
On Friday evening, videos circulating from different angles began to show some of the circumstances of the attack, as two gunmen appeared, one of whom was firing randomly from an automatic weapon towards the church gate.
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