Indian among 9 dead in Oman mosque attack

In an unusual and tragic breach of security in one of the Middle East's most stable nations, nine individuals, including an Indian national, were killed in a mosque attack in Oman late Monday night. Local authorities confirmed the casualties, which also included three attackers, according to Reuters.

The Indian embassy in Oman announced the death of the Indian national on the social media platform X, adding that another Indian had been injured in the gun attack at the Ali bin Abi Talib mosque in Muscat. The embassy's post read, “Following the shooting incident reported in Muscat city on 15 July, the Foreign Ministry of Sultanate of Oman has informed that one Indian national has lost his life & another is injured. The embassy offers its sincere condolences & stands ready to offer all assistance to the families.”

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Among the victims were four Pakistani nationals and a policeman, as confirmed by Pakistani and Omani officials. The attack left 28 people of various nationalities wounded, including several security personnel.

The assault occurred in a Shi’ite mosque, locally known as the Imam Ali mosque, in Sunni-dominated Oman during the observation of Ashura. Ashura is an annual period of mourning for Shi’ite Muslims to commemorate the 7th-century death of Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. While Ashura has occasionally sparked sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims in some countries, such conflicts are rare in Oman.

In response to the attack, the US Embassy in Muscat issued a security alert, advising American citizens to remain vigilant, monitor local news, and follow the directions of local authorities.