Nine people were killed, including one police officer and three gunmen, in a shooting near a mosque in Oman’s capital Muscat, police said Tuesday.
The same incident left 28 others wounded, including four people who were from the police. All of whom were transported to health institutions.
“Investigations and inquiries into the circumstances of the incident are ongoing,” police said in a statement.
Police said “all necessary security measures and procedures have been taken to handle the situation” following the attack, on X.
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Oman’s foreign minister, Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, conveyed his condolences by saying, “My heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the families of all who lost their lives in the brutal attack last night, including one gallant officer of the Royal Oman Police, and wishing a speedy recovery to those injured.”
The force gave an initial toll of four killed and “several others” wounded at the mosque in eastern Muscat. Footage verified by AFP shows people fleeing near Imam Ali Mosque, its minaret visible, as gunshots ring out.
In the video that has now gone viral, several rounds of gunfire could be heard during the early morning hours. A large number of worshippers gathered for the Fajr (morning prayer) are seen running for cover as police sirens rang out and law enforcement vehicles surrounded the mosque.
Watch it below:
The area was still cordoned off later on Tuesday, with journalists unable to access the mosque, according to an AFP photographer there.
The Pakistani foreign ministry confirmed that two Pakistani nationals were also killed in “attack” in Wadi Al Kabir, in the governorate of the capital city Muscat.
Pakistan’s ambassador to Oman, Imran Ali, visited some of the wounded in the hospital, the embassy posted on social media platform X.
In a video message posted on X, he urged Pakistanis in Oman to cooperate with local authorities and avoid the area where the shooting occurred.
The US embassy in Muscat issued a security alert following the shooting and cancelled all visa appointments Tuesday.
“US citizens should remain vigilant, monitor local news and heed directions of local authorities,” the embassy wrote on social media platform X.
Oman has a population of over four million people, more than 40 percent of whom are expatriate workers, according to government statistics.