4 Pakistanis killed, several injured in shooting near Oman mosque
A shooting near a mosque in the Omani capital Muscat has killed at least four Pakistanis and wounded multiple others.
In a brief statement released on Tuesday, the Royal Oman Police said that the incident took place in the vicinity of a mosque in Muscatโs al-Wadi al-Kabir neighborhood.
Officers responded to the incident, the police added, giving an initial toll of four killed and "several others" injured.
Footage on social media shows people fleeing near Imam Ali Mosque as gunshots ring out.
The shooting occurred as Shia Muslims were marking Ashura to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia Imam and the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
"All security measures and procedures have been taken to deal with the situation, and procedures for gathering evidence and investigation are being completed," read the police statement.
Following the shooting, the US Embassy in Muscat issued a security alert and canceled all visa appointments on Tuesday.
Such an attack is rare in Oman, which regularly plays mediating roles in regional conflicts.
Pakistanโs Foreign Office said four Pakistanis were killed and Omani authorities โneutralizedโ the gunmen.
๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐๐ค ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ก ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐๐ญ, ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง
โ Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 16, 2024
According to the latest information received from the Omani authorities, four Pakistanis were martyred as a result of gunshots in the dastardly terroristโฆ
โFour Pakistanis were martyred as a result of gunshots in the dastardly terrorist attack on the Ali bin Abi Talib mosque,โ it said in a statement.
โAnother 30 Pakistanis are under treatment in hospitals,โ it added, saying โthe government of Oman has neutralized the attackers.โ
ย
ย Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the terrorist attack.
โMy heart goes out to the families of the victims. I have instructed the Pakistan Embassy in Muscat to extend all possible assistance to the injured and visit the hospitals personally. Pakistan stands in solidarity with the Sultanate of Oman & offers full assistance in the investigation,โ he tweeted.
Deeply saddened by the terrorist attack on Imam Bargah Ali bin Abu Talib in Muscat, Oman, resulting in the loss of precious lives, including 4 Pakistani nationals. My heart goes out to the families of the victims. I have instructed the Pakistan Embassy in Muscat to extend allโฆ
โ Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) July 16, 2024
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar strongly condemned the โcowardly attack and killing of Muslims in the holy month of Muharram.โ
Meanwhile, Pakistani Ambassador Imran Ali visited some of the wounded in hospital.
Ali called Pakistani residents to cooperate with Omani authorities and avoid the area around the mosque that was hit.
โI have visited three or four hospitals. By the grace of God, all those injured are safe,โ Ali said.
โWe are in touch with Omani authorities as well as hospitals. Our officers are on standby for emergency blood donations in the embassy,โ he added, saying a hotline has been set up to assist the wounded and their relatives.
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