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.
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.
It did not provide details about the identities of the victims and gunmen, nor the motive. But Pakistan’s prime minister said four Pakistanis were among those killed in a “terrorist attack” on the Imam Ali Mosque.
Video showed a crowd running for cover inside the mosque’s courtyard as two dozen gunshots are heard. Worshippers had gathered there on the eve of the Shia holy day of Ashura.
The police statement expressed condolences to the victims’ families and said an investigation into the circumstances of the incident was under way.
It also emphasised “the necessity of obtaining information from official sources and disregarding unreliable information”.
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”.
“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.
“Pakistan stands in solidarity with the Sultanate of Oman and offers full assistance in the investigation.”
Pakistan’s embassy in Muscat named the four Pakistanis who were killed as Ghulam Abbas, Hasan Abbas, Sayyed Qaisar Abbas and Sulaiman Nawaz. It also said 30 Pakistanis were receiving hospital treatment.
Earlier on Tuesday, 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”. He also advised Pakistani residents of Oman to avoid al-Wadi al-Kabir and to co-operate with local authorities.
The National, a newspaper based in Abu Dhabi, cited Mr Ali as saying that at least 50 Pakistani expatriate workers were injured in the attack, with 20 being treated for bullet wounds.
A number of worshippers at the mosque, including women and children were also taken hostage by gunmen and later released by armed police, according to the report.
“It was a horror story for them. They went to pray for Muharram and are shocked this happened,” Mr Ali said. “The attack was premeditated on innocent mosque-goers and that is all we know for now.”
“We thank god that the tragedy is much less than what it could have been.”
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.
Some of the worshippers in the courtyard can be heard shouting “O God”, “O Hussein” and “I am here, O Hussein” in the video filmed inside the Imam Ali Mosque as the attack unfolded.
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.
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.
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.
The sultanate has a population of about 4.6 million, of which more than 40% are foreign workers.
The government does not publish statistics about religious affiliation.
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%.
