Indian National Among Nine Killed in Oman Mosque Attack
Four Pakistani nationals and a policeman were among those killed in a gun attack, according to Pakistani and Omani officials. Nine people, including an Indian, were killed in an attack on a mosque in Oman late on Monday. This rare security breach in one of the Middle East's most stable countries was confirmed by local authorities, who also reported that three attackers were among the casualties, as per news agency Reuters.
The Indian embassy in Oman announced the death of the Indian national on social media platform X, also noting that another Indian was injured in the attack at the Ali bin Abi Talib mosque in Muscat.
The post on X stated, “Following the shooting incident reported in Muscat city on 15 July, the Foreign Ministry of the 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.”
According to Pakistani and Omani officials, four Pakistani nationals and a policeman were also among those killed in the assault. Authorities reported that 28 people of various nationalities were wounded, including security personnel.
The attack occurred in a Shi’ite mosque in Sunni-dominated Oman, known locally as the Imam Ali mosque, during the observance of Ashura, an annual mourning period commemorating the 7th-century death of Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. The observance of Ashura has occasionally sparked sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims in some countries, though this is not typical in Oman.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Muscat issued a security alert following the shooting. “US citizens should remain vigilant, monitor local news, and heed directions of local authorities,” the embassy wrote on X.