One Indian national was killed and another injured in an assault on a Shi'ite Muslim mosque in Oman, said the Indian embassy on Tuesday. “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 Indian embassy in Oman took to X (formerly Twitter).
“Embassy offers its sincere condolences & stands ready to offer all assistance to the families”, the post added.
Nine people, including three attackers, were killed in a rare breach of security in one of the most stable countries in the Middle East.
Four Pakistani nationals and a policeman were among those killed in the gun attack, according to Pakistani and Omani officials. Authorities said 28 people of various nationalities were wounded, including security personnel.
Pakistan's foreign ministry said the attack took place in the Ali bin Abi Talib mosque. A local source said it was also known as Imam Ali mosque, a Shi'ite place of worship in Sunni-dominated Oman.
Describing the incident in the Wadi al-Kabir district of Oman's capital Muscat as a "terrorist" attack, the Pakistani ministry said 30 injured people were in hospital.
The attack came as Shi'ite Muslims observed Ashura, an annual period of mourning to commemorate the 7-th century death of Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Mohammad. The observation of Ashura has sometimes triggered sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims in some countries, though not typically in Oman.
Police have not said whether they have identified a motive or if they had made any arrests related to the attack.
"We are heartened that the government of Oman has neutralized the attackers," Pakistan's foreign ministry said in a statement. Pakistan's ambassador to Oman visited victims of the attack in the hospital, according to a video the embassy posted on X.
The US embassy in Muscat said it was following reports of the incident.
"US citizens should remain vigilant, monitor local news and heed directions of local authorities," it said in a statement.
Oman has maintained its neutrality in the turbulent region and mediated in disputes, including between the United States and Iran.
(With inputs from Reuters)
