The individuals responsible for the shooting at a mosque in Oman's Wadi Al Kabir area, near the capital Muscat, were all Omani citizens, according to the state news agency on Thursday.
The incident resulted in at least nine fatalities, including three attackers, four Pakistanis, an Indian, and a police officer, as authorities reported. Additionally, twenty-eight individuals from various nationalities were injured.
Gulf Arab states have strongly condemned this fatal shooting, an unusual occurrence in the typically stable sultanate, which has raised concerns among neighboring countries. This marks the first known operation claimed by Daesh in Oman. The UAE expressed 'strong condemnation of these criminal acts and permanent rejection of all forms of violence.'
A foreign ministry statement highlighted that the attack 'undermines security and stability, and endangers' the lives of Omanis. Bahrain's foreign ministry described the shooting as a 'heinous attack that goes against all religious and moral values and aims to destabilize the security and stability of Oman.'
The secretary-general of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jasem Al Budaiwi, affirmed the 'full support and solidarity of GCC countries' with their fellow member state. Saudi Arabia praised 'the speed and efficiency' with which Omani authorities handled the situation.
