The death toll in Monday’s gun attack on a Shia mosque in Muscat, the capital of the Gulf region of Oman, has risen to nine. At least 28 others were injured. Among the injured are citizens of various countries including Oman. International terrorist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack.

The dead include 4 Pakistanis, an Indian and an Omani police officer.

In a report, Reuters reported that the shootings suddenly started during the Isha prayer at the Ali bin Abi Talib mosque in the Wadi Al Kabir area of ​​Muscat on Monday.

Ashura was a special day for Muslims in Oman on Tuesday. Shia Muslims commemorate this day through various religious rituals. Muscat’s Ali Bin Abi Talib Mosque is the largest place of worship for the Shia Muslim minority in Oman, which is dominated by Sunni and Ibadi Muslims. As it was the night before Ashura, there was a large gathering of worshipers at the Ali Bin Abi Talib Mosque during the Isha prayer on Tuesday.

The mosque was shelled by police and IS gunmen from Monday night into Tuesday morning. At this time, three IS attackers were killed.

Meanwhile, posting a video of the attack on social media Telegram, IS said that three members of their ‘suicide’ squad carried out the attack.

In response to this attack, Pakistan’s ambassador to the country, Imran Ali, told reporters after visiting the injured in the hospital, “This is a very unexpected incident.” We do not know that such an incident has ever happened in the history of Oman.