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Four people shot dead near mosque in Oman | Gun violence news

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Following the extremely rare act of violence in the Sultanate, the police are taking “all necessary security measures”.

At least four people were killed and several others injured in a shooting near a mosque in Oman, a rare act of violence in the Gulf state.

The attack occurred early Tuesday morning during a large religious event for Shiite Muslims in Wadi al-Kabir, a district east of the capital Muscat.

A video from the scene shows people fleeing near the Imam Ali Mosque. Its minaret is visible. Gunshots are heard, followed by a voice saying “Oh God!”

The Omani police said they were taking “all necessary security measures and procedures … to bring the situation under control.” They initially reported four deaths and “several” injuries.

“Authorities continue to collect evidence and conduct investigations to uncover the circumstances of the incident,” police said on social media platform X.

Neither a motive nor any possible suspects have been identified for the attack. A state of emergency has been declared in the region.

‘Stay alert’

Some of the victims appear to be Pakistani nationals, as the Pakistani ambassador “visited three hospitals and met the injured,” the embassy said in a statement. It added: “All Pakistanis living in Oman are requested to cooperate with the authorities.”

The U.S. Embassy in Muscat issued a security alert following the shooting and canceled all visa appointments on Tuesday.

“US citizens should remain vigilant, monitor local news, and follow instructions from local authorities,” the embassy wrote on X.

Such an attack is rare in Oman, a regional middleman with a low crime rate, and comes on the Muslim day of Ashura, when Shiite Muslims commemorate the seventh-century martyrdom of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, on the battlefield.

Many Shiites celebrate Ashura with a pilgrimage to the shrine of Imam Hussein in the Iraqi city of Karbala. Sunni Muslims celebrate this day by fasting.

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