An Indian man has been identified as one of the nine victims of the shooting that rocked Muscat, Oman, on July 15.
The official social media department of the Embassy of India in Oman reported on July 16 that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman informed that one Indian citizen lost his life while another sustained injuries in the mosque attack.
Pakistan has confirmed that four Pakistanis were among those who died in the so-called “terrorist attack” on the Imam Ali Mosque. In addition, India announced the death of one of its citizens.
The embassy statement read: “Following the shooting reported in the city of Muscat on July 15, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman has informed that one Indian citizen has lost his life and another is injured. The Embassy expresses its sincere condolences and is ready to offer all assistance to the families.
In a rare security breach, several assailants entered a Shia mosque in Oman on Monday, killing nine people, including four Pakistani nationals, and injuring several others.
The Royal Oman Police said the shooting happened in the Wadi Kabir district of the capital Muscat on Monday night. The state-run Oman News Agency said three attackers were killed.
The shooting occurred on the eve of Ashour, commemorating the martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein, in the 7th century that gave rise to their faith. This day falls on the Islamic month of Muharram, one of the holiest months for Shia Muslims.
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Such violence is unusual in the sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula.
The Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack. Notably, ISIS has often targeted Shiite ceremonies, processions and worshipers in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, it is the first time ISIS has claimed an attack in Oman, where Shiite Muslims are a minority.
