The international ministry in Islamabad stated at the very least 4 Pakistanis had been killed.
Oman:
Six individuals together with 4 Pakistanis had been killed and almost 30 wounded in a taking pictures close to a Shiite mosque within the Omani capital Muscat, officers stated Tuesday, a uncommon assault within the in any other case secure Gulf sultanate.
Monday’s mosque assault, which has but to be claimed, got here as Shiites this week mark Ashura, an annual day of mourning that commemorates the seventh-century dying in battle of Imam Hussein, regarded by the sect because the rightful successor to the Prophet Mohammed.
“The Royal Oman Police have responded to a taking pictures incident that occurred within the neighborhood of a mosque within the Al-Wadi Al-Kabir space” of the capital, a police assertion stated.
The three gunmen behind the assault had been killed and cops have “concluded the procedures for coping with the taking pictures,” it stated.
It gave a dying rely of six killed, together with a police officer. It stated 28 individuals “from numerous nationalities” had been wounded, together with rescuers and paramedics.
The international ministry in Islamabad stated at the very least 4 Pakistanis had been killed.
“4 Pakistanis had been martyred on account of gunshots within the dastardly terrorist assault on the Ali bin Abi Talib mosque,” it stated in a press release.
“One other 30 Pakistanis are below therapy in hospitals.”
Footage verified by AFP reveals individuals fleeing the Imam Ali Mosque, its minaret seen, as gunshots ring out.
A voice may be heard saying “oh God” and repeating “oh Hussein”.
Talking to AFP, Pakistan’s ambassador to Oman Imran Ali stated the mosque was largely frequented by south Asian expatriates. Oman is residence to at the very least 400,000 Pakistanis, he stated.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated he was “deeply saddened by the terrorist assault”.
In a press release on social media platform X, he stated: “Pakistan stands in solidarity with the Sultanate of Oman and affords full help within the investigation.”
Held ‘hostage’
Pakistan’s ambassador stated the assault began with gunfire from a constructing adjoining to the mosque as tons of of individuals gathered for prayers.
The worshippers had been held “hostage” by militants earlier than “they had been later freed by Omani forces”, Ali advised AFP.
He stated there was little info on the perpetrators of the assault or their potential motive.
“Everyone seems to be being tight-lipped about this,” he stated, including that the assault created a “troublesome scenario”.
Earlier on Tuesday, Ali toured hospitals treating the wounded.
In a video message on X, he urged Pakistanis in Oman to cooperate with the authorities and keep away from the world across the mosque.
“We’re in contact with Omani authorities in addition to hospitals. Our officers are on standby for emergency blood donations within the embassy,” he stated, including {that a} hotline has been set as much as help the wounded and their kinfolk.
The US embassy in Muscat issued a safety alert following the taking pictures and cancelled all visa appointments for Tuesday.
“US residents ought to stay vigilant, monitor native information and heed instructions of native authorities,” it posted on X.
Investigations underway
Police stated “all needed safety measures and procedures have been taken to deal with the scenario” following the assault.
“The authorities are persevering with to assemble proof and conduct investigations to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident,” police added on X.
The world remained cordoned off on Tuesday, with journalists unable to entry the mosque, an AFP photographer reported.
Oman has a inhabitants of greater than 4 million, of whom upwards of 40 p.c are expat staff, largely from south Asia, in line with authorities figures.
Shiites make up a small minority of Oman’s overwhelmingly Muslim inhabitants. Most Omanis observe the Sunni or Ibadi branches of the religion.
Whereas a number of assaults on Shiite mosques have roiled the Gulf lately, Tuesday’s assault is a primary for Oman.
A 2015 suicide assault on a Shiite mosque in Kuwait killed at the very least 27 worshippers and wounded greater than 200. It was claimed by the Sunni extremists of the Islamic State group.
The identical 12 months, Saudi Arabia noticed two assaults on Shiite mosques within the house of every week, with at the very least 25 individuals killed. The assaults had been once more claimed by IS, which regards Shiites as heretics.
In 2005, a former trainer opened hearth inside a authorities constructing in Muscat, killing two individuals and wounding a number of others, earlier than taking pictures himself.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
