Two gunmen kill six in a Quebec Mosque

QUEBEC, Canada (Kurdistan 24) – A shooting at a mosque in Quebec on Sunday evening killed at least six and injured 19 others, five of whom are in critical condition.

The attack occurred while the Muslims were engaged in their evening prayers at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec (Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec).

The victims’ age ranged between 35 to 70-years-old.

Police have arrested two suspects, Alexandre Bissonnette and Mohamed Khadir, who are reportedly in their late twenties or earlies thirties.

Canadian Police refused to reveal further information about the suspects, saying the investigation was ongoing and the motivations were not clear.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the event a “terrorist attack on Muslims.”

“Muslim-Canadians are an important part of our national fabric, and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, cities, and country,” Trudeau said in a statement.

A witness told Radio-Canada two masked individuals entered the mosque.

“It seemed to me that they had a Québécois accent. They started to fire, and as they shot, they yelled, ‘Allahu akbar!’” Said the witness.

“The bullets hit people that were praying. People who were praying lost their lives. A bullet passed right over my head,” he added.

“There were even kids. There was even a three-year-old who was with his father,” the witness concluded.

Quebec City Mayor Régis Labeaume expressed solidarity with the victims.

“To the Muslim community, our neighbors, our co-citizens, who count on our support and solidarity, I want to say, ‘We love you,’” said Labeaume.

Last year, a pig’s head was left at the front steps of the Quebec City mosque during the month of Ramadan when Muslims fast.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany