DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) 鈥� A rare shooting by multiple attackers at a Shiite mosque in Oman killed five people and wounded many more including a police officer, authorities said Tuesday. Pakistan's government said four of its nationals were dead and 30 hurt.
The Royal Oman Police said in a statement mentioned no motive or suspect and said the shooting occurred Monday night in the Wadi Kabir neighborhood of the capital, Muscat. The state-run Oman News Agency said three attackers were killed. It reported 28 wounded of 鈥渄ifferent nationalities.鈥�
The shooting occurred on the eve of , a remembrance of the 7th century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad鈥檚 grandson, Hussein, that gave birth to their faith. The day falls in the Islamic month of Muharram, one of the holiest months for Shiite Muslims.
Such violence is unusual in the sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula. The U.S. Embassy warned its citizens to 鈥渟tay away from the area.鈥�
Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement it 鈥渟trongly condemns the dastardly terrorist attack on Imam Bargah Ali bin Abu Talib鈥� mosque.
A separate statement by Pakistan's information office said the government was 鈥渉eartened that the government of Oman has neutralized the attackers鈥� and that Pakistan has offered assistance in 鈥渂ringing to justice those responsible for this heinous crime in this holy month of Muharram.鈥�
Iran's foreign ministry condemned the attack. Iran is a Shiite theocracy.
The Associated Press
