{"id":33552,"date":"2024-07-16T15:19:53","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T19:19:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/pakistanis-and-indian-among-six-killed-in-shooting-near-oman-mosque\/16\/07\/2024\/"},"modified":"2024-07-16T15:19:53","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T19:19:53","slug":"pakistanis-and-indian-among-six-killed-in-shooting-near-oman-mosque","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/pakistanis-and-indian-among-six-killed-in-shooting-near-oman-mosque\/16\/07\/2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Pakistanis and Indian among six killed in shooting near Oman mosque"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Six people, including a policeman, have been killed and 28 others injured in a rare shooting attack near a Shia mosque in Oman’s capital, Muscat, police say.<\/p>\n

The three attackers were also killed by security forces during the incident in the al-Wadi al-Kabir area on Monday night, according to a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It did not provide details about the identities of the victims and gunmen, or the motive. But Pakistan said four Pakistanis were among those killed in a “terrorist attack” on the Imam Ali Mosque. India also said one of its citizen was killed.<\/p>\n

Video showed a crowd running for cover inside the mosque’s courtyard as gunshots were heard<\/a>. Worshippers had gathered there on the eve of the Shia holy day of Ashura.<\/p>\n

The police statement expressed condolences to the victims’ families and said an investigation into the circumstances of the incident was under way.<\/p>\n

It also emphasised “the necessity of obtaining information from official sources and disregarding unreliable information”.<\/p>\n

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was “deeply saddened” by the attack and that his “heart goes out to the families of the victims”.<\/p>\n

“I have instructed the Pakistan embassy in Muscat to extend all possible assistance to the injured and visit the hospitals personally,” he wrote on X.<\/a><\/p>\n

“Pakistan stands in solidarity with the Sultanate of Oman and offers full assistance in the investigation.”<\/p>\n

Pakistan’s embassy in Muscat named the four Pakistanis who were killed as Ghulam Abbas, Hasan Abbas, Sayyed Qaisar Abbas and Sulaiman Nawaz<\/a>. It also said 30 Pakistanis were receiving hospital treatment.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday morning, Pakistani ambassador Imran Ali said in a video that he had visited some of those injured at three local hospitals and described their conditions as “relatively safe”.<\/p>\n

He also advised Pakistani residents of Oman to avoid al-Wadi al-Kabir and to co-operate with local authorities.<\/p>\n

Mr Ali later told AFP news agency that the attackers initially opened fire from a building next to the mosque, where hundreds of people had gathered for a prayer service.<\/p>\n

The worshippers were held “hostage” by militants before “they were later freed by Omani forces”, he said.<\/p>\n

He also said there was little information about the possible motive for the attack, adding: “Everyone is being tight-lipped about this.”<\/p>\n

India’s embassy said it had been informed by the Omani foreign ministry that one Indian national was killed and other was injured, without identifying them.<\/p>\n

The shooting happened on the night of the ninth day of the Islamic month of Muharram, when Shia Muslims attend rituals on the eve of Ashura. Ashura is a major commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in a battle in the seventh century.<\/p>\n

Some of the worshippers in the courtyard can be heard shouting \u201cO God\u201d, \u201cO Hussein\u201d and \u201cI am here, O Hussein\u201d in the video filmed inside the Imam Ali Mosque as the attack unfolded.<\/p>\n

There was no immediate claim from any group, but supporters of the Sunni jihadist group Islamic State (IS) celebrated the shooting on social media networks.<\/p>\n

IS has repeatedly targeted Shia ceremonies, processions and worshippers in countries like Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. But it has never before claimed an attack in Oman.<\/p>\n

The Gulf state that has long been seen as one of the most stable and secure countries in the Middle East. This has allowed it to play a leading role in mediation efforts to try to resolve conflicts and disputes in the region.<\/p>\n

The sultanate has a population of about 4.6 million, of which more than 40% are foreign workers.<\/p>\n

The government does not publish statistics about religious affiliation.<\/p>\n

However, the US state department estimates that 95% of the population is Muslim, with 45% Sunni, 45% Ibadi and 5% Shia. Hindus, Buddhists and Christians make up the remaining 5%.<\/p>\n

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Six people, including a policeman, have been killed and 28 others injured in a rare shooting attack near a Shia mosque in