Chaotic scenes

Shots fired near mosque in Oman: several dead

A blurred picture of the entrance area of the mosque taken by an eyewitness

(Bild: APA/AFP/UGC)

There was a bloodbath during a religious celebration in a mosque in Oman. Unknown gunmen opened fire on worshippers near the place of worship. At least six people died and numerous others were injured.

The attack took place on Monday evening in Wadi al-Kabir, a suburb of the capital Muscat. According to the police, one police officer and three attackers were among the dead. 28 other people were injured, including members of the emergency services. They were treated in hospitals in the city.

Footage from eyewitnesses, which has spread on various social media, shows chaotic scenes in front of the Shiite mosque. Injured people flee. The security forces announced that "all necessary measures" had been taken to track down the perpetrators as quickly as possible.

Terrorist attack?
The Foreign Ministry in Pakistan spoke of a terrorist attack on Tuesday. The gun attack took place during the Ashura festival, which is important for Shiites and has occasionally led to tensions between Shiites and Sunnis in the past. Oman is dominated by Sunnis.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shebhaz Sharif also confirmed that four Pakistanis had been killed in the attack. He expressed his solidarity and offered his support in solving the case. At least 400,000 people from Pakistan live in Oman.

The US embassy in Oman issued a security warning for its own citizens. They should "remain vigilant, monitor local news and follow the instructions of the authorities".