Oman: 6 killed after shooting near mosque, police say
July 16, 2024
At least six people were killed and scores were injured in a shooting near a Shiite mosque in Oman's capital Muscat, police said on Tuesday.
"The Royal Oman Police have responded to a shooting incident that occurred in the vicinity of a mosque in the Al-Wadi Al-Kabir area," police said in a statement.
What else do we know about the shooting?
Omani police said later in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that the three perpetrators of the shooting were killed and one policeman also died.
The statement said that "28 people of various nationalities" were injured in the shooting.
People were seen running around near Imam Ali Mosque amid sounds of gunshots in videos verified by the French AFP news agency. In one video, a person can be heard saying "oh God" and repeating "oh Hussein", referring to the imam who Shiite Muslims view as the rightful successor to the Prophet Muhammad.
Shiites make up a minority of the population in Oman, which is predominantly inhabited by Ibadi and Sunni Muslims. The world's Shiites are commemorating the major festival of Ashura this week.
Following the shooting, the US embassy in Oman warned American citizens to "stay away from the area."
"US citizens should remain vigilant, monitor local news and heed directions of local authorities," the embassy wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
Later on Tuesday, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry announced that four nationals were killed in the attack, adding that 30 others were receiving treatment.
"We remain in close contact with Omani authorities," the ministry said.
Non-citizens make up around 43% of Oman's population, with the largest share of migrants coming from the Indian subcontinent.
Probe opened, Omani police says
A shooting attack is a rare occurrence in Oman, one of the most stable countries in the Middle East. Muscat has largely maintained neutrality in the region's various conflicts, often mediating disputes, including between the US and Iran.
The police said it is investigating the case but did not disclose the motive behind the attack or details about the perpetrators.
"All security measures and procedures have been taken to deal with the situation, and procedures for gathering evidence and investigation are being completed," the police said in a statement.
mfi/rmt (AFP, AP, Reuters)