Isis spreads terror to peaceful Oman, targeting Shiite Muslims in brazen mosque shooting
- It marked the first time that the Sunni Muslim extremist group has claimed responsibility for an attack in Oman
![Muslim men perform morning prayer in Oman. Tuesday’s attack stunned the peaceful sultanate. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/TNS](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1020x680/public/d8/images/canvas/2024/07/17/8b8d3762-4adb-418a-8990-4aaa9541cd7d_f9a3b63a.jpg?itok=Ij581fPb&v=1721201895)
That Islamic State, which considers Shiites to be heretics, targeted Shiite worshippers on the eve of their holy day is nothing new – the group in January claimed responsibility for an attack in Shiite-majority Iran that killed 84 people.
Most shocking, analysts say, is that the attack happened in Oman, a quiet country on the southeastern edge of the Arabian peninsula with well-trained security forces, a policy of non-intervention and a majority population of Ibadi Muslims, a more liberal offshoot of Islam predating the Sunni-Shiite split.
“It illustrates that Isis thinks outside of the box and tries to do things that most people think wouldn’t be possible, taking advantage of small failures within security architectures of different countries,” said Aaron Y. Zelin, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
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