Update: Thousands Mourn as Jordan Buries Eight Killed in Karak Church Attack

HAMOUD, Jordan —

Thousands of mourners gathered Sunday, Oct. 25, beside St. George's Greek Orthodox Church in the village of Hamoud in Jordan's Karak governorate to bury eight of the nine Christians killed when gunmen attacked a funeral there on Friday, Al Jazeera and The National reported. Coffins draped in Jordanian flags were carried through the crowd as priests led prayers and security officers stood guard.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan attended on King Abdullah II's behalf, along with government ministers and senior military and civilian officials, according to Jordan's state news agency Petra as cited by Al Jazeera. Muslim sheikhs were also among the mourners, The National reported, and Queen Rania and Crown Prince Hussein visited the village to offer condolences.

The family of the ninth victim, Mohammed al-Qasous, told AFP he would be buried Monday, Oct. 26, Al Jazeera reported. All nine of those killed were men, according to The National, which said most belonged to the Halasah family, a prominent Christian clan. Dozens of people were wounded.

Father Yohanna Hamati told Al Jazeera that about 170 to 200 people were at the church for Friday's funeral when the shooting began outside. He urged unity, saying, “We make no distinction between Muslim and Christian.”

The attackers had not been caught as of Sunday, and no group had claimed responsibility. The National reported that checkpoints were set up on the main highway south from Amman toward Karak and that security forces moved into remote desert areas. Security forces were also posted at churches across the country during Sunday services.

Jordan has declared three days of national mourning. King Abdullah, who called the attackers “outlaws of Islam,” has promised a forceful response. Christians make up about 3 percent of Jordan's population, according to Al Jazeera, and The National called the shooting the deadliest attack on the country's Christians since the 1950s.