A woman who survived the shooting at a church in Jordan has said she watched her cousin die in front of her, Reuters reports. The account came as authorities in the country responded to what they have described as a terrorist attack on a funeral service.
Casualty figures reported by news outlets have varied. Reuters reported that seven people were killed when gunmen opened fire at the church, while The Guardian put the death toll at nine, with about 40 others wounded. The discrepancy in the numbers could not immediately be reconciled from the available reporting.
According to Dawn, Jordan's king has directed an "iron fist" response to the attack. The US embassy in Jordan said security had been increased across the country following the shooting, Business Recorder reported.
The attack targeted mourners gathered for a funeral at the church, according to the published reports. Further details about the assailants, the sequence of events or the identities of the victims were not available in the source material.
The varying death tolls and the scale of the injuries suggest the picture is still being confirmed. What to watch next: official updates from Jordanian authorities on the final casualty count, the status of the investigation and any arrests, and whether the heightened security measures announced by the US embassy remain in place.
