Islamic State Claims Deadly Attack in Oman

An Islamic State attack on a Shia Muslim mosque near Oman's capital of Muscat on the evening of July 15th left at least nine killed, including the three terrorists, and wounded more than 30 worshippers. Among those wounded in the Iman Ali mosque were women, children, and elders who were attending worship to commemorate Ashura, which happens on the 10th day of Muharram, Tuesday, the 16th. Five members of Oman's security forces, including a police officer, were also wounded in the attack..Rare Terror for Oman.This attack is a rare flare-up of terror-driven violence in one of the most stable nations in the Sunni Muslim-dominated Gulf States, adding to the list of recent prominent global terror attacks by the resurgent Islamic State..The assault began Monday evening and carried into Tuesday morning. Four Pakistanis and an Indian were among the slain, Omani police said. Oman's law enforcement reported that the three gunmen were killed in the terror attack. The wounded were reportedly of various nationalities, according to law enforcement. According to Pakistan's ambassador to Muscat, Imran Ali, 30 of those wounded suffered gunshot wounds, while others were injured in the stampede, he said in an embassy statement after visiting victims in hospitals and meeting with the wounded..Rising Threat of IS.Attacks by the Islamic State terror group, which was largely wiped out in 2017 by a coalition of US-led nations and local groups fighting against the wave of extremist violence, have increased in recent months. In Moscow, Tajikistani Islamic State members gunned down and killed 140 concertgoers at Crocus Hall in March, and in Iran, the group claimed responsibility for explosions that killed close to 100 attendees during a military ceremony commemorating the fourth anniversary of the death of Iranian Quds Force commander Qassam Soleimani. The frequency and scale of Islamic State attacks have increased in regions adjacent to the Middle East and North Africa, adding to growing fears of a larger resurgence of the most deadly terrorist organization of the 21st century..Religious Context and Location.The month of Muharram, the first on the Islamic calendar, is one of four months in Islam when warfare is banned. For Shia Muslims, Ashura marks the commemoration of the death of the third Shia imam and grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad during the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD and is the culmination of Muharram celebrations. For Sunni Muslims, instead, Ashura marks the biblical parting of the Red Sea by Moses, the day Noah left the Ark, and other biblical events. Shia celebration of the day is often in the form of mourning, dramatic reenactments, and processions, wherein striking of one's self, or self-flagellation, can occur. The day has in the past been notable for religious violence against Shia followers, such as in the case of Oman's Shia minority..ISIS media outlets published footage and claims of three suicide fighters attacking the mosque in Wadi Al Kabir, opening fire on attendees of worship, and then exchanging gunfire with Omani security forces until the morning, when the attackers were killed..The mosque is located in the Wadi al Kabir township in the Muscat capital governorate, ten kilometers inland from Oman's resort coast, and surrounded by medical centers, restaurants, international and local schools, hotels, other places of worship, and a skate park.