Saudi Arabia praises Oman’s handling of deadly mosque attack

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry on Wednesday praised Omani authorities for their handling of a deadly armed attack on a mosque earlier this week.

ISIS claimed responsibility on Tuesday for an attack at a Shia mosque in Oman, where at least six people, including a policeman and three gunmen, were killed, and 28 wounded late on Monday, in a rare incident in one of the most stable countries in the Middle East.

In a statement carried by state news agency SPA, the Saudi foreign ministry said it “commended the competent authorities in the Sultanate of Oman for their swift and efficient handling of the shooting incident near the Wadi al-Kabir region in Muscat Governorate.”

It added: “Saudi Arabia stands in solidarity with Oman, expressing sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims. The Kingdom also wishes a speedy recovery for the injured.”

Four Pakistani nationals and a policeman were among those killed in the gun attack, according to Pakistani and Omani officials. Authorities said 28 people of various nationalities were wounded, including security personnel.

The attack came as Shia Muslims observed Ashura, an annual period of mourning to commemorate the 7th-century death of Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.

The observation of Ashura has sometimes triggered sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shia Muslims in some countries, though not typically in Oman.