Our Bureau
Muscat
An Indian citizen was among the six people killed in a rare attack by Islamic State terrorists near a Shia Mosque in Muscat, Oman’s capital. The shooting on Monday night near the Imam Ali Mosque also claimed the lives of a policeman and four Pakistanis, while injuring 28 others from various nationalities. The Indian victim was identified as Basha Jan Ali Hussain by the Indian Embassy in Muscat. Three other Indian nationals were also wounded in the assault.
The Islamic State, a Sunni Muslim extremist group, claimed responsibility for the attack, which is highly unusual for the stable and low-crime Gulf state of Oman. The assault took place during the Shia mourning period of Ashura. Omani security forces killed the three attackers in the al-Wadi al-Kabir area of Muscat. The Indian Embassy is assisting the victim’s family with the repatriation of the body and supporting the injured Indians who are undergoing hospital treatment.
As per the reports, the Indian Embassy in Muscat, Oman, stated that Ambassador Amit Narang spoke with Tausif Abbas, the son of Basha Jan Ali Hussain, who was killed in the Wadi Kabir shooting incident. The embassy assured full support for the repatriation of Basha Jan Ali Hussain’s body back to India and any other support the family may need. Additionally, embassy officials have visited the three Indian nationals who sustained injuries in the incident and are undergoing treatment at a hospital. Ambassador Narang also spoke with their families and assured them of full support.
The Islamic State (ISIS) militant group claimed responsibility for the deadly attack near a Shia Mosque in Oman’s capital, Muscat. This was a rare attack for ISIS, as the group has repeatedly targeted Shia ceremonies, processions and worshippers in countries like Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, but has never before claimed an attack in Oman, where the Shia are a minority.
