4 Pakistanis killed in rare Oman attack near Shia mosque; gunmen shot dead
AFP Published July 16, 2024
Four Pakistanis were killed while multiple others were wounded in a shooting near a Shia mosque in the Omani capital Muscat, officials said on Tuesday, a rare attack in the otherwise stable Gulf sultanate.
Police said the overall death toll climbed to six today, adding that the three attackers were also killed.
Monday’s shooting “resulted in the death of five individuals, the martyrdom of one policeman, and the death of the three perpetrators”, with at least 28 other people wounded, Omani police said in a statement.
The fifth individual killed was an Indian as confirmed by the country’s embassy in Muscat.
Oman’s overwhelmingly Muslim population comprises a small minority of Shias. Monday’s mosque attack has yet to be claimed.
“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” of the capital, police said in a statement.
The force gave an initial toll of four killed and “several” wounded.
The Foreign Office said four Pakistanis were killed and Omani authorities “neutralised” the gunmen.
“Four Pakistanis were martyred as a result of gunshots in the dastardly terrorist attack on the Ali bin Abi Talib mosque,” it said in a statement.
“Another 30 Pakistanis are under treatment in hospitals,” it added, saying “the government of Oman has neutralised the attackers.”
Pakistani Ambassador Imran Ali visited some of the wounded in hospital, the embassy posted on social media platform X.
The embassy also released the names of those killed in the attack.
Ali told Abu Dhabi-based news outlet The National that at least 50 Pakistani expatriate workers were injured.
In a video message, Ali urged Pakistani residents to cooperate with Omani authorities and avoid the area around the mosque that was hit.
“I have visited three or four hospitals. By the grace of God, all those injured are safe,” Ali said.
“We are in touch with Omani authorities as well as hospitals. Our officers are on standby for emergency blood donations in the embassy,” he added, saying a hotline has been set up to assist the wounded and their relatives.
Speaking to AFP, Ali said the mosque was mostly frequented by south Asian expatriates. Oman is home to at least 400,000 Pakistanis, he said.
The ambassador said the attack began with gunfire from a building adjacent to the mosque as hundreds of people gathered for prayers.
The worshippers were held “hostage” by militants before “they were later freed by Omani forces”, Ali told AFP.
He said there was little information on the perpetrators of the attack or their possible motive.
“Everyone is being tight-lipped about this,” he said, adding that the attack created a “difficult situation”.
President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the attack and extended his condolences to the victims and their families.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was “deeply saddened” by the attack.
“I have instructed the Pakistan Embassy in Muscat to extend all possible assistance to the injured and visit the hospitals personally. Pakistan stands in solidarity with the Sultanate of Oman & offers full assistance in the investigation,” he said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar offered his condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the families of the four individuals who were killed in the attack
“Strongly condemn this cowardly attack and killing of Muslims in the holy month of Muharram,” FM Dar said in a post on X.
The US embassy in Muscat issued a security alert following the shooting and cancelled all visa appointments on Tuesday.
Muharram is a month of mourning, observed in particular by Shia Muslims worldwide. It commemorates the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD, where amongst many, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), Imam Husain, was martyred and other family members were martyred or subjected to humiliation.
Investigation underway
Police said “all necessary security measures and procedures have been taken to handle the situation” following the attack.
“The authorities are continuing to gather evidence and conduct investigations to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident,” police added on X.
The area was cordoned off on Tuesday, with journalists unable to access the mosque, an AFP photographer reported.
Oman has a population of over four million, more than 40 per cent of whom are expatriate workers, most of them from South Asia, according to government figures.
The sultanate has repeatedly played the role of mediator in regional conflicts, especially the war in Yemen between Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the internationally recognised government propped up by Saudi Arabia.
While several attacks on Shia mosques have roiled the Gulf in recent years, Tuesday’s attack is a first for Oman.
A 2015 suicide attack on a Shia mosque in Kuwait killed at least 27 worshippers and wounded more than 200. It was claimed by the banned militant Islamic State (IS) group.
That same year, Saudi Arabia saw two attacks on Shia mosques in the space of a week. The twin assaults killed at least 25 people and were again claimed by IS, which regards Shia Muslims as heretics.
In 2005, a former teacher opened fire inside a government building in Muscat, killing two people and wounding several others, before shooting himself.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1846167/4-pak ... -shot-dead
MUSLIMS KILL MUSLIMS
Re: MUSLIMS KILL MUSLIMS
2 soldiers, 5 civilians martyred in terror attack on Dera Ismail Khan health centre: ISPR
Tahir Khan | Iftikhar Shirazi Published July 16, 2024 Updated about 10 hours ago
Two soldiers and five civilians were martyred in a terrorist attack on a rural health centre in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday.
A statement from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that between the night of Monday and Tuesday, terrorists “carried out a cowardly attack” on a rural health centre in the district’s Kirri Shamozai area and opened indiscriminate fire on staff.
“Resultantly, five innocent civilians, including two lady health Workers, two children and one watchman embraced martyrdom.
“Security forces in vicinity were immediately mobilised for clearance operation in rural health centre and in ensuing fire exchange, own troops effectively engaged the terrorists as a result of which three terrorists were sent to hell,” the ISPR said.
It added that 44-year-old Naib Subedar Muhammad Farooq, a resident of Narowal district, and 23-year-old Sepoy Muhammad Javed Iqbal, a resident of Khanewal district, were martyred during the intense exchange of fire.
“Sanitisation of area is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area. The perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act targeting innocent civilians, especially women and children, will be brought to justice.” the ISPR said.
The funeral prayers of the two soldiers were later offered.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the incident.
----------------------------------------
8 security officials martyred in suicide blast targeting Bannu Cantonment, 10 terrorists killed
Earlier, the ISPR said that a terrorist attack targeting Bannu Cantonment on Monday martyred eight members of the security forces while a retaliatory operation killed 10 terrorists.
According to a press release issued today, an attempt by 10 terrorists to enter Bannu Cantonment in the early hours of Monday was “effectively thwarted” by security forces personnel, “which forced the terrorists to ram an explosive-laden vehicle into perimeter wall of the cantonment.”
Resultantly, the suicide blast caused a portion of a wall to collapse and damaged infrastructure, resulting in the martyrdom of eight security forces, it said.
The martyrs were identified as Naib Subedar Muhammad Shehzad, 44; Havildar Zil-e-Hussain, 39; Havildar Shahzad Ahmed, 28; Sepoy Ashfaq Hussain Khan, 30; Sepoy Sobhan Majeed, 22; Sepoy Imtiaz Khan, 30; Sepoy Arsalan Aslam, 26, belonging to the Pakistan Army as well as Lance Naik Sabz Ali, 34, of the Frontier Constabulary.
“In the ensuing operation, own troops effectively engaged the terrorists as a result of which all ten terrorists were sent to hell,” the statement said.
“This timely and effective response by the security forces prevented major catastrophe, saving precious innocent lives.
“The gallant and selfless action of the security forces is a testament of unrelenting resolve in fight against terrorism.”
The ISPR statement attributed the “heinous act of terrorism” to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, “which operates from Afghanistan and has used Afghan soil to orchestrate acts of terrorism inside Pakistan in the past as well.”
Pakistan has consistently raised its concerns with the interim Afghan Government, asking it to deny persistent use of Afghan soil by the terrorists and take effective action against such elements, the statement read.
“Pakistan armed forces will keep defending the motherland and its people against this menace of terrorism and will take all necessary measures as deemed appropriate against these threats emanating from Afghanistan.”
The funeral prayers of the martyrs were offered.
A day ago, officials told Dawn that militants stormed a check post adjacent to a supply depot, adding that bombers hit the boundary wall of the cantonment near the depot in their attempt to force their entry but security forces besieged them.
“Two suicide bombers attacked the check post initially and then a few others managed to enter, but they were besieged,” the officials said.
They stated that security personnel were fully alert and engaged the militants foiling the attack with a timely response, adding that soldiers fought bravely.
A police official said they increased patrolling in urban and rural localities of Bannu district after the explosion, adding that roads leading to the cantonment were sealed as part of measures to avert any loss to citizens during the exchange of fire between security forces and militants.
Locals said the magnitude of the blast could be judged by the fact that it was heard far and wide in the area. A resident said he heard the explosion in Domel town, some 15 kilometres from Bannu city. They said they saw black smoke billowing above the site and also heard gunshots in the cantonment area.
The residents said the blast caused damage to nearby houses and shops, smashed windowpanes and blew up shutters of outlets.
President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the terrorist attack, paying homage to the martyrs.
The president said that the security forces acted on time and saved the country from a “major disaster”, adding that the nation was proud of their efforts.
He paid tribute to the forces for successfully deterring a terrorist attack in Bannu and called for the complete annihilation of the terrorist elements.
President Zardari prayed for the deceased and expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also paid tribute to the security forces for foiling the terrorist attack.
He paid homage to the martyred army and frontier constabulary personnel and prayed for the families of the martyrs.
“The whole nation stands with security forces in the fight against terrorism,” he said.
“We are determined to end the menace of terrorism,” he added.
Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities in the past year, especially in KP and Balochistan after the TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
According to an annual security report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies, Pakistan witnessed 1,524 violence-related fatalities and 1,463 injuries from 789 terror attacks and counter-terror operations in 2023 — marking a record six-year high.
KP and Balochistan were the primary centres of violence, accounting for over 90 per cent of all fatalities and 84pc of attacks, including incidents of terrorism and security forces operations.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1846145/2-sol ... entre-ispr
Tahir Khan | Iftikhar Shirazi Published July 16, 2024 Updated about 10 hours ago
Two soldiers and five civilians were martyred in a terrorist attack on a rural health centre in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday.
A statement from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that between the night of Monday and Tuesday, terrorists “carried out a cowardly attack” on a rural health centre in the district’s Kirri Shamozai area and opened indiscriminate fire on staff.
“Resultantly, five innocent civilians, including two lady health Workers, two children and one watchman embraced martyrdom.
“Security forces in vicinity were immediately mobilised for clearance operation in rural health centre and in ensuing fire exchange, own troops effectively engaged the terrorists as a result of which three terrorists were sent to hell,” the ISPR said.
It added that 44-year-old Naib Subedar Muhammad Farooq, a resident of Narowal district, and 23-year-old Sepoy Muhammad Javed Iqbal, a resident of Khanewal district, were martyred during the intense exchange of fire.
“Sanitisation of area is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area. The perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act targeting innocent civilians, especially women and children, will be brought to justice.” the ISPR said.
The funeral prayers of the two soldiers were later offered.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the incident.
----------------------------------------
8 security officials martyred in suicide blast targeting Bannu Cantonment, 10 terrorists killed
Earlier, the ISPR said that a terrorist attack targeting Bannu Cantonment on Monday martyred eight members of the security forces while a retaliatory operation killed 10 terrorists.
According to a press release issued today, an attempt by 10 terrorists to enter Bannu Cantonment in the early hours of Monday was “effectively thwarted” by security forces personnel, “which forced the terrorists to ram an explosive-laden vehicle into perimeter wall of the cantonment.”
Resultantly, the suicide blast caused a portion of a wall to collapse and damaged infrastructure, resulting in the martyrdom of eight security forces, it said.
The martyrs were identified as Naib Subedar Muhammad Shehzad, 44; Havildar Zil-e-Hussain, 39; Havildar Shahzad Ahmed, 28; Sepoy Ashfaq Hussain Khan, 30; Sepoy Sobhan Majeed, 22; Sepoy Imtiaz Khan, 30; Sepoy Arsalan Aslam, 26, belonging to the Pakistan Army as well as Lance Naik Sabz Ali, 34, of the Frontier Constabulary.
“In the ensuing operation, own troops effectively engaged the terrorists as a result of which all ten terrorists were sent to hell,” the statement said.
“This timely and effective response by the security forces prevented major catastrophe, saving precious innocent lives.
“The gallant and selfless action of the security forces is a testament of unrelenting resolve in fight against terrorism.”
The ISPR statement attributed the “heinous act of terrorism” to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, “which operates from Afghanistan and has used Afghan soil to orchestrate acts of terrorism inside Pakistan in the past as well.”
Pakistan has consistently raised its concerns with the interim Afghan Government, asking it to deny persistent use of Afghan soil by the terrorists and take effective action against such elements, the statement read.
“Pakistan armed forces will keep defending the motherland and its people against this menace of terrorism and will take all necessary measures as deemed appropriate against these threats emanating from Afghanistan.”
The funeral prayers of the martyrs were offered.
A day ago, officials told Dawn that militants stormed a check post adjacent to a supply depot, adding that bombers hit the boundary wall of the cantonment near the depot in their attempt to force their entry but security forces besieged them.
“Two suicide bombers attacked the check post initially and then a few others managed to enter, but they were besieged,” the officials said.
They stated that security personnel were fully alert and engaged the militants foiling the attack with a timely response, adding that soldiers fought bravely.
A police official said they increased patrolling in urban and rural localities of Bannu district after the explosion, adding that roads leading to the cantonment were sealed as part of measures to avert any loss to citizens during the exchange of fire between security forces and militants.
Locals said the magnitude of the blast could be judged by the fact that it was heard far and wide in the area. A resident said he heard the explosion in Domel town, some 15 kilometres from Bannu city. They said they saw black smoke billowing above the site and also heard gunshots in the cantonment area.
The residents said the blast caused damage to nearby houses and shops, smashed windowpanes and blew up shutters of outlets.
President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the terrorist attack, paying homage to the martyrs.
The president said that the security forces acted on time and saved the country from a “major disaster”, adding that the nation was proud of their efforts.
He paid tribute to the forces for successfully deterring a terrorist attack in Bannu and called for the complete annihilation of the terrorist elements.
President Zardari prayed for the deceased and expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also paid tribute to the security forces for foiling the terrorist attack.
He paid homage to the martyred army and frontier constabulary personnel and prayed for the families of the martyrs.
“The whole nation stands with security forces in the fight against terrorism,” he said.
“We are determined to end the menace of terrorism,” he added.
Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities in the past year, especially in KP and Balochistan after the TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
According to an annual security report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies, Pakistan witnessed 1,524 violence-related fatalities and 1,463 injuries from 789 terror attacks and counter-terror operations in 2023 — marking a record six-year high.
KP and Balochistan were the primary centres of violence, accounting for over 90 per cent of all fatalities and 84pc of attacks, including incidents of terrorism and security forces operations.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1846145/2-sol ... entre-ispr