Oman, July 16 (Online): Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday that four Pakistanis had been killed in what it described as a \u201cterrorist attack\u201d near a mosque in Wadi Al-Kabir, a district east of the Omani capital of Muscat. <\/p>\n
The Royal Oman Police have confirmed the attack but given no motive nor said who was suspected of being behind the assault, a rare breach of security in one of the most stable countries in the Middle East.<\/p>\n
\u201cAccording to the latest information received from the Omani authorities, four Pakistanis were martyred as a result of gunshots in the dastardly terrorist attack on the Ali bin Abi Talib mosque in Wadi Kabeer area in Muscat,\u201d the foreign ministry said. \u201cAnother thirty Pakistanis are under treatment in hospitals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Videos shared by the embassy in Oman showed Pakistan\u2019s ambassador to Oman Imran Ali visiting the injured in hospital.
\n\u201cThis is my message to the Pakistani community that in this emergency situation, please don\u2019t go toward Wadi Al-Kabir, that area is cordoned off,\u201d Ali said in a video message recorded at a hospital. \u201cIf anyone has injured relatives, kindly please don\u2019t give up on your patience.\u201d
\nHe said he had visited up to four hospitals and the injured people he had met were in \u201crelatively\u201d stable condition.
\n\u201cPeople in their homes, please stay safe, and don\u2019t go there [toward Wadi Al-Kabir] because our information is that the emergency situation is still ongoing,\u201d the ambassador concluded.<\/p>\n
A handout from the embassy said the \u201cterrorist\u201d attack by \u201cunknown assailants\u201d took place around 11pm on Monday night on the Imam Bargah Ali bin Abu Talib in Wadi Al-Kabir. Authorities evacuated people from the area following the attack and started an operation around 230am.
\n\u201cAssailants have taken worshippers hostages while reportedly [there are] several casualties; authorities have cordoned off the area,\u201d it added. \u201cHostage evacuation has started now. Military units have reached.\u201d
\nThe Pakistani embassy\u2019s Facebook page said emergency had been imposed at the Khulla Hospital, Nahida Hospital and Royal Hospital, which Ambassador Ali had visited.<\/p>\n
The attack comes during the Islamic month of Muharram when Shiite Muslims commemorate the seventh-century battlefield martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).<\/p>\n
Pakistan strongly condemns the dastardly terrorist attack on Imam Bargah Ali bin Abu Talib in Wadi Kabir in Muscat, Oman that resulted in multiple casualties including the death of two Pakistanis.<\/p>\n
Our Embassy in Oman remains in contact with Omani authorities for identification and repatriation of the mortal remains of the two martyred Pakistanis. It has also opened a helpline to respond to queries from the Pakistani community in Oman and to facilitate them. Ambassador Imran Ali is also visiting local hospitals to inquire about the well-being of injured Pakistani nationals. <\/p>\n
We are heartened that the government of Oman has neutralized the attackers. Pakistan has offered all possible assistance to Omani authorities in the investigation and in bringing to justice of those responsible for this heinous crime in this holy month of Muharram.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Oman, July 16 (Online): Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday that four Pakistanis had been killed in what it described as a \u201cterrorist attack\u201d near a mosque in Wadi Al-Kabir, a district east of the Omani capital of Muscat. The Royal Oman Police have […]<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":110778,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[270],"tags":[17878,17879,17877,9334,17875,1816,17880,17876,6642,17874],"class_list":["post-110777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-news","tag-ambassador-imran-ali","tag-emergency-situation","tag-imam-bargah-ali-bin-abu-talib","tag-muharram","tag-muscat","tag-oman","tag-omani-authorities","tag-pakistanis-killed","tag-terrorist-attack","tag-wadi-al-kabir"],"yoast_head":"\n