Jordanian Prime Minister calls for fight against extremism after Karak church attack

Jordanian Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan has called for intensified efforts to eradicate extremist ideology, stating that the fight against such thought is a battle of awareness and intellect rather than a purely security-based issue. His remarks follow a deadly attack on Friday targeting mourners near a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud, Karak Governorate.

The attack resulted in the deaths of nine individuals and left at least 25 others injured. Prime Minister Hassan confirmed that state security agencies are actively working to apprehend the perpetrators responsible for the massacre.

Following the incident, King Abdullah II directed the government and relevant institutions to review anti-extremism policies and develop a systematic plan to dry up the sources of radical thought in coordination with religious authorities. Jordan has declared three days of national mourning, with flags flown at half-mast across government buildings.