Pakistan said Tuesday four of its nationals were killed and 30 others injured in an unprecedented gun attack targeting a Shi’ite Muslim minority mosque in Oman's capital, Muscat.
Omani authorities said, based on initial reports, the shooting resulted in the killings of four worshipers and injuries to "several others” in the otherwise peaceful Sunni Muslim-majority sultanate. There were no immediate claims of responsibility.
In a statement, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry condemned what it said was “the dastardly terrorist attack.” It added without elaborating that Islamabad was “heartened” that Oman’s authorities had “neutralized” the assailants.
The ministry said that Pakistan’s embassy in Muscat was in contact with Omani authorities "for the identification and repatriation of the mortal remains" of the slain Pakistanis. It added that Pakistani Ambassador Imran Ali is also visiting local hospitals to inquire about the well-being of injured Pakistani nationals.
"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," a Muscat police statement said. It said that "all necessary security measures and procedures have been taken to handle the situation" following the attack.
"The authorities are continuing to gather evidence and conduct investigations to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident," police wrote on social media platform X.
“Pakistan has offered all possible assistance to Omani authorities in the investigation and in bringing to justice those responsible for this heinous crime in this holy month of Muharram,” the Pakistani statement said.
The U.S. Embassy in Muscat issued a security alert following the shooting and canceled all visa appointments on Tuesday. The embassy wrote on social media platform X, "U.S. citizens should remain vigilant, monitor local news, and heed directions of local authorities.”
Video verified by the AFP news agency shows people fleeing near Imam Ali Mosque, its minaret visible, as gunshots ring out.
A voice can be heard saying “Oh God" and repeating "Oh Hussein," referring to the imam who Shi’ites view as the rightful successor to the Prophet Muhammad.
The area where the shooting occurred was reportedly still cordoned off later on Tuesday, preventing journalists from accessing the mosque.
Shi’ites this week mark Ashura, an annual day of mourning that commemorates the seventh-century battlefield martyrdom of Imam Hussein.
Oman officially has a population of four million, with 40% of them expatriate workers.
Some of the information for the story came from AFP.
