Two policemen killed in Saudi Arabia’s Shia-majority Qatif
Violent incidents have been seen with increasing frequency in Qatif since Jan. 2, when Saudi authorities executed prominent Shia cleric
Supporters of prominent Shia cleric Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, who was executed by Saudi authorities on January 2
Saudi Arabia
By Ahmed al-Masri
DOHA, Qatar
Two policemen were killed on Sunday when their patrol came under heavy fire by unidentified gunmen in the predominantly-Shia Qatif region of Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province.
Quoting a local police source, the Saudi Press Agency reported that the incident had occurred on Sunday morning in Qatif’s city of Seihat, "where policemen on patrol came under intense fire by unidentified attackers".
According to the police source, Patrol Commander Sgt. Shuja Ali al-Shimmari and his assistant, Sgt. Othman Shayim al-Rashidi, were both killed in the attack.
In recent weeks, Saudi Arabia’s Shia-majority Qatif region has seen several incidents that the Interior Ministry has described as "terrorist attacks".
According to the ministry, violent incidents have included kidnappings, attacks on police patrols and other "acts of sabotage", in addition to the torching of government property.
Incidents such as these have been reported with increasing frequency since Jan. 2, when the Saudi authorities executed Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, a prominent Saudi Shia cleric.
