At least four people were killed and several others injured in a shooting near a mosque in Oman's capital Muscat, police said on Tuesday.
"The Royal Oman Police have responded to a shooting incident that occurred in the vicinity of a mosque in the Al-Wadi Al-Kabir area," police said in a statement.
People were seen running around near Imam Ali Mosque amid sounds of gunshots in videos verified by the French AFP news agency. In one video, a person can be heard saying "oh God" and repeating "oh Hussein", referring to the imam who Shiites view as the rightful successor to the Prophet Muhammad.
Following the shooting, the US embassy in Oman warned American citizens to "stay away from the area."
"US citizens should remain vigilant, monitor local news and heed directions of local authorities," the embassy wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
Probe opened, Omani police says
A shooting attack is a rare occurrence in Oman, one of the most stable countries in the Middle East. Muscat has largely maintained neutrality in the region's various conflicts, often mediating disputes, including between the US and Iran.
The police said it is investigating the case but did not disclose the motive behind the attack or details about the perpetrators.
"All security measures and procedures have been taken to deal with the situation, and procedures for gathering evidence and investigation are being completed," the police said in a statement.
