A Saudi policeman was killed and two others were wounded in an attack in a Shiite-dominated area of Eastern Province, the interior ministry said Wednesday.
"One policeman was killed and two injured," an interior ministry spokesman said.
In a statement, police said two suspects were arrested after the patrol came under fire in al-Jesh village in Qatif district late Tuesday.
It was not immediately clear whether the incident was linked to unrest among the minority Shiite community or to Daesh group of jihadists.
Residents of the region also complain of general criminal activity.
Most of Saudi Arabia's Shiites live in the oil-rich east, where many say they face marginalisation.
Eastern Province was the scene of periodic clashes involving security forces after demonstrations broke out four years ago alongside a Shiite-led protest movement in neighbouring Bahrain.
Since late last year, the region has been targeted by Daesh, a Sunni extremist group which consider Shiites to be heretics.
Authorities, and analysts, say the jihadists have tried to ignite sectarian tensions in the Sunni-majority kingdom but have failed.
On successive Fridays in May suicide bombings at Shiite mosques in Eastern Province, one of them in Qatif, killed a total of 25 people.
An Daesh-affiliated group calling itself Najd Province -- which takes its name from the region around Riyadh -- claimed those attacks as well as another suicide bombing that killed 26 people at a Shiite mosque in Kuwait last month.
Saudi security forces have also been targets of attacks linked to Daesh, which has committed atrocities in Iraq and Syria and inspired attacks elsewhere around the world.
On July 18 the interior ministry announced it had disrupted a network linked to Daesh and made more than 430 arrests, foiling new attacks on Shiite mosques and a diplomatic mission.
Source: AFP
GMT 18:44 2018 Friday ,14 December
French police nationwide prepare for fifth wave of yellow vest protestsGMT 15:21 2018 Friday ,14 December
Al-Jaafari calls for stopping the politicization of humanitarian affair in SyriaGMT 11:25 2018 Friday ,14 December
Turkey will enter Syria’s Manbij if US doesn’t remove YPG fightersGMT 21:43 2018 Thursday ,13 December
EU leaders offer to 'demystify' Brexit deal but won't change backstopGMT 21:36 2018 Thursday ,13 December
Yemen's warring sides agree on ceasefire in embattled HodeidaGMT 12:28 2018 Thursday ,13 December
Russia points to efforts to undermine agreements on Idlib zoneGMT 11:44 2018 Thursday ,13 December
Daesh group destruction of rural Iraq hinders hundreds of thousands residents’ returnGMT 11:33 2018 Thursday ,13 December
UK’s PM Theresa May wins vote of confidence in her leadership while 117 voted against herMaintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor