Islamic State claims responsibility for attack at mosque in Oman
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Follow topic:
CAIRO – Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack at a Shi'ite Muslim mosque in Oman, the group said on July 16, which left at least nine people dead, including three attackers. This is a rare security breach in the oil-producing Gulf state.
The attack on July 15, which is unusual in the wealthy, Sunni Muslim-dominated Gulf states, raises fears that the Islamic State may be trying to gain a foothold in new territory.
“Three suicide attackers from the Islamic State attacked last night a gathering of Shi’ite (Muslims) while they were practising their annual rituals at a temple in the Wadi al-Kabir district in the (Omani) capital,” according to the group’s statement, which cited three security sources.
The Islamic State fighters fired on Shi'ite worshippers and exchanged gunfire with Omani security forces until morning, the statement added.
The Islamic State late on July 16 published what it said was a video of the attack on its Telegram site.
The group also said that the attack left more than 30 Shi'ite Muslims and five Omani forces, including a police officer, killed or wounded. REUTERS
