Iran Condemns Deadly Shooting in Oman
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned a shooting incident at a mourning ceremony that killed at least four people near a mosque in Oman’s Wadi al-Kabir in the early hours of Tuesday.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Nasser Kanaani condemned the “divisive” shooting incident at the religious mourning ceremony held in commemoration of the third Shiite imam, Imam Hussein (PBUH), near Oman’s capital Muscat.
The spokesman also expressed Iran’s support for the Omani government and people in the face of the currents sowing division.
He also prayed for God's mercy for the people martyred in the shooting incident and offered condolences to their bereaved families.
The attack early on Tuesday took place in Wadi al-Kabir, a district east of the capital city, Muscat, during a major religious event for Shiite Muslims.
Omani police said they’re taking “all necessary security measures and procedures… to handle the situation”. They gave an initial casualty toll of four killed and “several” injured, Al Jazeera reported.
It appears some of the victims were Pakistani nationals as Pakistan’s ambassador “visited three hospitals and met with the wounded”, an embassy statement said, adding, “all Pakistanis residing in Oman are requested to cooperate with the authorities”.
Such an attack is rare in Oman, a frequent regional mediator with a low crime rate. It comes during the Muslim day of Ashura when Shiite Muslims commemorate the seventh-century battlefield martyrdom of Imam Hussein (PBUH), grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Many Shiite mark Ashura by performing a pilgrimage to Imam Hussein’s shrine in the Iraqi city of Karbala.