Scheich Abdullah ruft zur Bekämpfung des Extremismus auf, um den Terrorismus auszurotten

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan offered condolences to Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Thursday regarding a deadly shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in the Karak governorate. The attack, which occurred on Friday, October 23, killed eight people and injured dozens more during a funeral service. In a separate statement, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan emphasized that combating extremism is a prerequisite for eradicating terrorism. The United Arab Emirates condemned the incident as a criminal act aimed at undermining regional security and stability. The violence erupted in the village of Hamoud, located approximately 120 kilometers southwest of the capital, Amman. Witnesses described hearing what initially sounded like an exploding air conditioner before realizing it was sustained gunfire. The assault began shortly after prayer services commenced for a local resident’s funeral. Survivors recounted that two men arrived in a vehicle, followed by a third individual carrying a semi-automatic rifle. State television footage showed the gunmen entering the building and opening fire for several minutes. Nasser Al Burqan, a lawyer present at the service, stated that he observed two assailants through a window once the shooting ceased. One attacker was masked, while the other was unmasked and holding a handgun. Al Burqan reported that the unmasked gunman stood roughly two meters away and fired directly at him. Shattered glass cut his face, though he declined immediate medical attention. Later, his son, who had also attended the mass, contacted him to report being shot in the leg. The boy was subsequently transported to a hospital for treatment. Another witness, Dorgham Halasa, described the scene as chaotic, noting that heavy gunfire started fifteen minutes into the funeral. While Halasa did not see the shooters himself, he relayed accounts from others who claimed to have spotted four individuals. Security authorities have not confirmed the exact number of perpetrators, stating that investigations are proceeding rapidly. A government statement characterized the incident as an act of extremist terrorism carried out by unknown assailants. Jordanian authorities have launched a widespread search for the gunmen. King Abdullah II visited the Karak area hours after the attack and pledged that the perpetrators would face punishment with an "iron fist." He convened a National Security Council meeting to review the country’s protocols for responding to terrorist threats. The monarch also ordered a comprehensive review of security procedures. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan attributed the violence to terrorist ideology and religious extremism, vowing that legal measures would be taken against anyone seeking to promote such views. The casualty figures vary slightly across initial reports. Jordan’s Ministry of Health confirmed eight deaths, comprising seven individuals who died at the scene and one woman who succumbed to her injuries hours later. Initial counts cited 34 or 40 injured persons. Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour indicated that two of the wounded remained in critical condition. Victims were treated at Prince Ali Military Hospital, where ambulances lined the streets following the incident. Security operations intensified across the kingdom in the aftermath. Police increased patrols near the church and heightened vigilance at shopping malls, foreign embassies, and other sensitive locations. The United States Embassy in Amann advised its citizens to exercise caution due to the elevated threat level. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and officials stated it was premature to determine if the gunmen had ties to known militant organizations within or outside Jordan. The incident marks a rare violent targeting of a Christian place of worship in the US-allied kingdom. Jordan has previously thwarted multiple militant plots in recent years. The last major attack in the Karak region occurred in 2016, when gunmen ambushed police at a Crusader castle, killing ten people, including seven officers, before being neutralized by security forces. In Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan addressed the broader implications of the violence on his social media platform. He argued that fighting terrorism without addressing the root causes of extremism is ineffective, comparing the effort to pouring fresh water into the sea and expecting it to become a freshwater river. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a formal statement reiterating its unequivocal condemnation of the attack and its rejection of all forms of violence designed to destabilize the region. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke by telephone with King Abdullah II to express sympathy for the victims’ families and hope for the swift recovery of the injured. The UAE president affirmed the country’s solidarity with Jordan in protecting its citizens and maintaining internal security. King Abdullah expressed gratitude for the sentiment and support extended by his counterpart. Local officials in Karak urged residents to maintain calm. Bahjat al-Rushda, the mayor of nearby Shihan village, described the attack as wicked but expressed confidence in the nation’s resilience. At the hospital, relatives of the injured described the trauma of the event. Tarek Ammarin, whose relative was among the wounded, referred to the scene as a massacre in every sense of the word. Authorities continue to process evidence from the church, where witness videos revealed broken glass and pools of blood on the floor. The investigation focuses on identifying the specific individuals involved and determining their motivations. Security forces remain on high alert throughout the Karak governorate as the search for the remaining suspects persists. The national mood remains somber as the country observes a period of mourning for the deceased.