Indian Killed In Oman Attack Near Shiite Mosque

An Indian was killed and another injured in a shooting incident near a Shiite mosque in the Omani capital Muscat, the Indian Embassy said in a social media post.

Shiites make up a small minority of Oman's overwhelmingly Muslim population. Most Omanis follow the Sunni or Ibadi branches of the faith.

"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," said the embassy on X.

Offering condolences,  the Embassy underlined that it will offer all assistance to the families.

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. Embassy offers its sincere condolences & stands ready to offer all assistance to the families.

— India in Oman (Embassy of India, Muscat) (@Indemb_Muscat) July 16, 2024

Monday's mosque attack, which has yet to be claimed, came as Shiites this week mark Ashura, an annual day of mourning that commemorates the seventh-century death in battle of Imam Hussein, regarded by the sect as the rightful successor to the Prophet Mohammed.

While several mosque attacks have roiled the Gulf in recent years, Monday's shooting is a first for Oman.

Police said "all necessary security measures and procedures have been taken to handle the situation" following the attack.

"The authorities are continuing to gather evidence and conduct investigations to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident," police added on X.

Oman has a population of over four million, more than 40 percent of whom are expatriate workers, according to government figures.