Muscat Mosque shooting: Indian national among 6 killed in attack at mosque; 2 attackers killed
Muscat Mosque shooting: In a horrific and dreadful incident, an Indian national was among six people killed in an attack on the Ali bin Abi Talib mosque in Muscat the capital city of Oman.
The incident took place in the Al Wadi Al Kabir area on Monday night.
The incident occurred when the mosque was crowded with hundreds of worshippers. The atmosphere was tense, filled with the sound of panicked, labored breathing. Gunfire rang out relentlessly for over an hour, eventually becoming sporadic.
An eyewitness described how around "500-600 people" were in the mosque courtyard when they first heard noises that "sounded like fireworks," followed by cries of "Bhaago, Bhaago [run, run]."
The Indian embassy in Muscat informed about the casualty and also stated that another Indian had been injured in the gun attack on July 16 night.
Offering sincere condolences and assistance to the families, the Indian Embassy in Muscat's statement on the incident read, "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 and another is injured.
As per the media sources, three attackers have been killed.
Four Pakistanis and a policeman were among those killed and at least 28 other people from different nationalities were injured.
The Royal Oman Police extended their condolences and sympathies to the families of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
Such attacks are rare in Oman, a country known for its role as a regional mediator and its low crime rate. The attack occurred on Ashura, a significant day for Muslims.
- With inputs from agencies
