One of the three people knifed to death in London in the space of just 24 hours was an Omani engineering student studying in the UK, according to reports.
The victim, who was stabbed outside luxury department store Harrods in Knightsbridge just after midnight on Friday, has been named as Mohammed bin Abdullah al Araimi.
On Friday afternoon, the Omani Embassy in London tweeted: “The embassy in London extends its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. We belong to Allah and to him we shall return.”
A friend of the 26-year-old told the Mail Online that Mr Araimi had been targeted by two muggers for his Rolex watch.
The friend said Mr Araimi had been living in the UK for the last three years.
Sir Alan Duncan, former International Development minister and later a senior Foreign Office minister, said he was sad to hear of the incident.
He tweeted: “Am very saddened that an Omani student was stabbed and died yesterday in Knightsbridge.
“Oman is our close friend and ally, and always so welcoming to us. Its safe streets are an example to the world. I offer respects and sympathy.”
Mr Araimi was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services, while a second man remains in hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Two other men in their 20s were murdered in knife attacks between Thursday afternoon and the early hours of Friday morning in London.
Exauce Ngimbi, 22, was pronounced dead in Hackney, east London, shortly after 2.30pm on Thursday after an altercation with a group, Scotland Yard said.
The third victim is believed to be drill rapper Crosslom Davis, 20, a member of the Harlem Spartans music group, based in Kennington, south London.
Mr Davis – who made music under the stage name “Bis” – was pronounced dead just after 3.30am on Friday in Deptford, south-east London.
England footballer Jadon Sancho, 19, led tributes online, tweeting “Rest up bis,” with a picture of the victim.
Speaking outside Scotland Yard on Friday afternoon, Commander Jane Connors said the killings were not linked to one another.
She added: “Each of these attacks is a tragedy – not just for the victims and their families but for the wider communities who are left reeling by this senseless violence.
“Our highly experienced teams of investigators are working relentlessly to determine exactly what happened and bring those responsible to justice.”
She added more officers would be on patrol in the areas where the attacks took place, including armed units.
Anyone with any information on any of the killings is urged to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Last year, there were 141 police-recorded homicides in the capital – the highest in a calendar year since 2008 – according to official Home Office statistics.
The PA news agency has identified 129 homicides so far in 2019, with three weeks of the year to go.
Reporting by Press Association.