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Join on Telegram Rabat – A 34 year old man attacked five Muslim worshippers in Albania’s Dine Hoxha Mosque in the capital city of Tirana on Monday.
Rudolf Nikolli entered the mosque following the afternoon prayer and stabbed five men aged 22-35. All victims were immediately transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
According to Tirana authorities, one victim is undergoing surgery in his abdomen while the hospital has discharged the other four victims.
Police have yet to identify the motives behind the attack as the Albanian Anti-Terror Directorate is still investigating the incident. Imam of the Dine Hoxha mosque Ahmed Kalaja stated, “We hope it was not a terrorist attack.”
In a statement to local media outlet Balkanweb, the suspect’s father stated that Nikolli has been depressed due to loss of opportunity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nikolli’s father is Catholic and his mother is Muslim which may be considered when identifying his motives.
After the police apprehended Nikolli, he exclaimed, “All Muslims should be punished” which has prompted public discourse on the rise of islamophobia globally.
Albania has a unique history regarding religion. PM Enver Hoxha officially banned all religions in 1976 making Albania the world’s first atheist country. Hoxha ordered all places of worship to be demolished or repurposed and clergy members of all faiths were imprisoned or killed.
In 1990, religious practice resumed and followers of primarily Islam and Christianity established themselves as majority populations.
Currently, Sunni Islam is the religious majority of Albania and 80% of the population identifies as Muslim. Christianity is the second largest demographic at 18% of the population.
Islamophobia is on the rise around the world as the mosque attack in Albania follows a series of hate crimes towards Muslims in France.
The vandalism of the mosque in Rennes, France and other public attacks on Muslims across Europe echo the same message as the stabbing in Albania.
Albania submitted its bid to join the EU in 2009 and after the recent brokerage of peace talks with the Republic of North Macedonia, Albania may soon become the only Muslim majority member of the EU.
