Nine people were killed, including three attackers, and 30 were wounded by gunfire in the vicinity of a mosque in Oman, the Omani police said on Tuesday, a rare breach of security in one of the most stable countries in the Middle East.
Four Pakistani nationals and a policeman were among those killed in the gun attack, according to Pakistani and Omani officials. Authorities said 28 people of various nationalities were wounded, including security personnel.
Pakistan's foreign ministry said the attack took place in the Ali bin Abi Talib mosque, a Shi'ite mosque in Sunni-dominated Oman, known locally as the Imam Ali mosque.
Describing the incident in the Wadi al-Kabir district of Oman's capital Muscat as a "terrorist" attack, the Pakistani ministry said 30 injured people were in hospital.
The attack came as Shi'ite Muslims observed Ashura, an annual period of mourning to commemorate the 7th century death of Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. The observation of Ashura has occasionally triggered sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shi'ite muslims in some countries, though not typically in Oman.
"All security measures and procedures have been taken to deal with the situation, and procedures for gathering evidence and investigation are being completed," the police said in a statement.
The US embassy in the capital Muscat said it is following reports of the shooting incident in Wadi al-Kabir, in the governorate of the capital city Muscat.
Maintaining neutrality
"US citizens should remain vigilant, monitor local news and heed directions of local authorities," it said in a statement.
Oman has maintained its neutrality in the turbulent region and mediated in disputes including between the United States and Iran.