Authorities in Muscat, the capital of Oman, report that a rare shooting incident near a Shia mosque has left six people—including a policeman—dead and 28 injured.
A statement said that during the Monday night incident in the al-Wadi al-Kabir neighbourhood, the three attackers were also slain by security officers.
It omitted information regarding the identity of the gunman and victims as well as their motivation. However, four Pakistanis were among the dead in a “terrorist attack” on the Imam Ali Mosque, according to the country’s prime minister.
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Two dozen gunshots could be heard in the video as a crowd fled into the mosque’s courtyard. On the eve of Ashura, the Shia holy day, worshippers had congregated there.
The police statement noted that an inquiry into the incident’s circumstances was underway and it offered condolences to the families of the victims.
It additionally stressed “the necessity of obtaining information from official sources and disregarding unreliable information” .
The attack “deeply saddened” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who also expressed his “heart goes out to the families of the victims”.
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“I have instructed the Pakistan embassy in Muscat to extend all possible assistance to the injured and visit the hospitals personally,” he wrote in a post on X.
“Pakistan stands in solidarity with the Sultanate of Oman and offers full assistance in the investigation.”
The four Pakistanis that were killed were identified as Ghulam Abbas, Hasan Abbas, Sayyed Qaisar Abbas, and Sulaiman Nawaz by the Pakistani consulate in Muscat. It also stated that thirty Pakistanis were being treated in a hospital.
In a video released earlier on Tuesday, Pakistani ambassador Imran Ali claimed he had visited three local hospitals to see some of the injured, and he described their circumstances as “relatively safe”. In addition, he counselled Pakistani citizens living in Oman to cooperate with local authorities and stay away from al-Wadi al-Kabir.
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The National, a newspaper based in Abu Dhabi, cited Mr Ali as saying that at least 50 Pakistani expatriate workers were injured in the attack, with 20 being treated for bullet wounds.
A number of worshippers at the mosque, including women and children were also taken hostage by gunmen and later released by armed police, according to the report.
“It was a horror story for them. They went to pray for Muharram and are shocked this happened,” Mr Ali said. “The attack was premeditated on innocent mosque-goers and that is all we know for now.”
“We thank god that the tragedy is much less than what it could have been.”
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The shooting happened on the night of the ninth day of the Islamic month of Muharram, when Shia Muslims attend rituals on the eve of Ashura. Ashura is a major commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in a battle in the seventh century.
Some of the worshippers in the courtyard can be heard shouting “O God”, “O Hussein” and “I am here, O Hussein” in the video filmed inside the Imam Ali Mosque as the attack unfolded.
There was no immediate claim from any group, but supporters of the Sunni jihadist group Islamic State (IS) celebrated the shooting on social media networks.
IS has repeatedly targeted Shia ceremonies, processions and worshippers in countries like Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. But it has never before claimed an attack in Oman.
The Gulf state that has long been seen as one of the most stable and secure countries in the Middle East. This has allowed it to play a leading role in mediation efforts to try to resolve conflicts and disputes in the region.
The sultanate has a population of about 4.6 million, of which more than 40% are foreign workers.
The government does not publish statistics about religious affiliation.
However, the US state department estimates that 95% of the population is Muslim, with 45% Sunni, 45% Ibadi and 5% Shia. Hindus, Buddhists and Christians make up the remaining 5%.
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