Terrorist militia “Islamic State” claims responsibility for deadly attack in Oman

Six people were killed and 28 others injured in a rare gun attack near a Shiite mosque in Muscat, the capital of Oman, police said.

The three attackers were also killed by security forces in the incident in the al-Wadi al-Kabir area on Monday evening, a statement said.

Police did not provide details about the victims and shooters or a motive. However, Pakistan said four Pakistanis were among the victims of a “terrorist attack” on the Imam Ali Mosque. India also said a national had been killed.

The Sunni Muslim jihadist group Islamic State (IS) said three of its members were involved in the attack.

Supporters of the group celebrated the shooting on social networks.

IS has repeatedly attacked Shiite ceremonies, processions and religious services in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, but has never claimed responsibility for an attack in Oman, where Shiites are a minority.

The police statement offered condolences to the families of the victims and said the circumstances of the incident were currently under investigation.

The need to obtain information from official sources and to ignore unreliable information was also emphasized.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was “deeply saddened” by the attack and his condolences were “with the families of the victims”.

“I have instructed the Pakistani embassy in Muscat to provide all possible assistance to the injured and to visit the hospitals personally,” he wrote on X.

“Pakistan stands in solidarity with the Sultanate of Oman and offers full support in the investigation.”

On Tuesday morning, Pakistani Ambassador Imran Ali said in a video that he had visited some of the injured in three local hospitals and described their condition as “relatively safe.”

He also advised Pakistani residents living in Oman to avoid al-Wadi al-Kabir and to cooperate with local authorities.

Mr Ali later told AFP news agency that the attackers first opened fire from a building next to the mosque, where hundreds of people had gathered for a prayer service.

The worshipers were held “hostage” by militants before being “later freed by Omani forces,” he said.

The Indian Embassy said it had been informed by the Omani Foreign Ministry that one Indian national had been killed and another injured, but their identities were not disclosed.

The shooting occurred on the night of the ninth day of the Islamic month of Muharram, when Shiite Muslims take part in rituals on the eve of Ashura, an important festival commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in a battle in the seventh century.

In the video taken inside the Imam Ali Mosque during the attack, some of the worshipers in the courtyard can be heard shouting “Oh God,” “Oh Hussein,” and “I am here, oh Hussein.”

Oman has long been considered one of the most stable and secure countries in the Middle East. This has enabled it to play a leading role in mediation efforts to resolve conflicts and disputes in the region.

The Gulf Sultanate has a population of about 4.6 million, of which more than 40% are foreign workers.

The government does not publish statistics on religious affiliation.

However, the US State Department estimates that 95% of the population is Muslim, of which 45% are Sunni, 45% Ibadi and 5% Shiite. The remaining 5% are Hindus, Buddhists and Christians.