1 Indian National Among 9 Killed in Mass Shooting Near Shia Mosque in Muscat

Muscat: An Indian national among nine killed after a mass shooting erupted near a Shia mosque in Oman’s capital city Muscat on Tuesday. During the incident, which occurred on Tuesday evening, when allegedly a group of assailants opened fire at the crowd near the mosque, over 25 people were wounded. After the incident, the victims were rushed to various hospitals for treatment. Among the deceased, four were reportedly Pakistani nationals.

Reports suggest that following the eruption of the mass shooting, the Muscat police and other security personnel rushed to the spot and attempted to stop the attackers. It is being said that three of the attackers were neutralised by the security personnel. A search operation is underway to trace other attackers, claimed reports.

Indian Embassy In Oman Condoled Killing of Innocent People

The Royal Oman Police released a statement noting that the shooting took place in the Wadi Kabir neighbourhood of Muscat. Authorities have not disclosed any motive or suspects involved in the attack. The state-run Oman News Agency reported that three attackers were killed and over 25 people of various nationalities were wounded in the incident, which has been termed a rare attack in the otherwise stable Gulf Sultanate.

The Indian embassy in Oman on Tuesday in a social media message said that an Indian national died in the mass shooting that erupted near a Shia mosque in Oman's capital Muscat which killed nine people.

The Embassy of India in Oman, took to X, to share information about the incident saying, “Following the shooting incident reported in Muscat city on 15 July,  Foreign Ministry of Sultanate of Oman has informed that one Indian national has lost his life & another is injured. The embassy offers its sincere condolences & stands ready to offer all assistance to the families.”

Pakistani Embassy Condemned Attack

The Pakistani embassy in Oman also condemned the shooting and said it is working with Omani authorities to bring back the mortal remains of the deceased Pakistanis.

“Pakistan strongly condemns the dastardly terrorist attack on Imam Bargah Ali bin Abu Talib in Wadi Kabir in Muscat, Oman that resulted in multiple casualties including two deaths of Pakistani nationals,” it said in a social media post on X.

It later said over 30 of its citizens were hospitalised with injuries and revised the death toll upward to four.

“Four Pakistanis were martyred as a result of gunshots in the cowardly terrorist attack on the Ali bin Abi Talib mosque. Another 30 Pakistanis are under treatment in hospitals,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement.

The shooting occurred on the eve of Ashura, a remembrance of the 7th-century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein, that gave birth to their faith. The day falls in the Islamic month of Muharram, one of the holiest months for Shia Muslims.

“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” of the capital, a police statement said.

More details regarding the incident are being awaited.