A funeral service for nine Christians killed by gunmen in Jordan will be held on Sunday, at the same church where the attack took place.
On Friday, assailants opened fire in the compound of the St George's Greek Orthodox church, in the village of Hamoud in Karak governorate, the country's Public Security Directorate directorate said. Jordan's King Abdullah II called it a "terrorist attack."
Karak, about 100km south of Amman, is home to a Christian minority in the mainly Muslim kingdom. The attack took place during a funeral. On Saturday, authorities revised the death toll from seven to nine and said none of the three assailants had been captured.
Security officials briefed the king "on the latest developments in the investigation into the attack", the Royal Palace said, without giving details. King Abdullah called the attackers "outlaws of Islam" and ordered the government to "review policies for countering extremist ideology and to intensify efforts to eradicate its root causes".
On Sunday, security forces were stationed at churches across the country during Sunday services, in an unprecedented tightening of security at Christian sites.
Such incidents are very rare in Jordan, which is relatively stable but has come under Iranian attacks since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February. The kingdom is home to several biblical sites that attract Christian pilgrims from around the world.
