Nine Killed in 'Hostage-Taking and Shooting' Incident at Mosque in Oman

The Royal Oman Police reports that a shooting at a mosque in the capital resulted in the deaths of at least nine individuals, including three shooters and one police officer, with 29 others from various countries injured. On Tuesday, July 16, the police announced in a statement that the shooting occurred in the Wadi Kabir neighborhood of Muscat, the capital. Omani officials later announced the end of measures related to the deadly shooting incident early Tuesday near a Shia mosque in Muscat. This incident took place on the night of Ashura, the day commemorating the martyrdom of the third Imam of Shia Islam. A video confirmed by Agence France-Presse shows people fleeing from Imam Ali Mosque as gunfire is heard. According to the report, cries of 'Oh God' and 'Oh Hussein' can also be heard in the video. The police stated that 'all necessary security measures have been taken to control the situation.' They added that 'officials are collecting evidence and conducting investigations into the cause of this incident.' The Pakistani embassy announced on Tuesday morning that four of its citizens were killed in the shooting in the capital of Oman. The Pakistani government described the event as a 'terrorist attack.' Imran Ali, the Pakistani ambassador to Oman, told the English-language newspaper 'The National' of the UAE that Omani officials consider the early Tuesday attack a 'major incident.' He explained that 'armed individuals initially took a number of mourners, including several women and children, hostage, who were later freed during a police operation.' Images shared on social media show that police operations continued into the early hours of Tuesday. Imran Ali provided different statistics from those released by Pakistani officials, stating that 'at least 50 Pakistani citizens were injured, some of whom are still hospitalized.' He added, 'Most of the injured were shot in the legs.' The ambassador noted, 'They had gone to mourn during Muharram when they encountered what happened.' He continued, 'We still do not know the motives of the perpetrators or their identities.' Oman, located on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, is home to followers of Sunni, Shia, and Ibadi sects and is considered one of the region's countries with a moderate approach to religions and sects. Official statistics for 2023 indicate that 40% of the 5 million residents of Oman are foreign nationals. Such violence is rare in this country, which plays a mediating role in regional conflicts. The U.S. embassy in Oman has warned its citizens to avoid the incident area. The embassy wrote on social media platform X, 'U.S. citizens should remain vigilant, monitor local news, and heed local authorities' instructions.'