This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/04/masked-gunmen-kill-five-saudi-arabia
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Masked gunmen kill five in Saudi Arabia | Masked gunmen kill five in Saudi Arabia |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Masked gunmen killed five people in a mostly Shia area of eastern Saudi Arabia late on Monday as the minority community prepared to celebrate the festival of Ashura, police said. | Masked gunmen killed five people in a mostly Shia area of eastern Saudi Arabia late on Monday as the minority community prepared to celebrate the festival of Ashura, police said. |
Nine people were wounded in the shooting, the latest in a spate of sporadic unrest in the oil-rich east of the Sunni-dominated kingdom where most of its two million Shias live. | Nine people were wounded in the shooting, the latest in a spate of sporadic unrest in the oil-rich east of the Sunni-dominated kingdom where most of its two million Shias live. |
The three assailants fired machine guns and pistols into a crowd leaving a building in the village of al-Dalwa in al-Ihsa district of Eastern Province, a police spokesman told the official SPA news agency. | |
The spokesman did not specify what the building was or what motive the gunmen might have had. | The spokesman did not specify what the building was or what motive the gunmen might have had. |
But in postings on social networking sites residents said that the crowd had been leaving a Shia place of worship on the eve of Ashura, one of their main festivals. | But in postings on social networking sites residents said that the crowd had been leaving a Shia place of worship on the eve of Ashura, one of their main festivals. |
The commemoration of Ashura – which marks the death of Imam Hussein, one of Shia Islam’s most revered figures – peaks on Tuesday. | The commemoration of Ashura – which marks the death of Imam Hussein, one of Shia Islam’s most revered figures – peaks on Tuesday. |
There have been protests and sporadic attacks on security forces in Shia areas of Eastern Province, where the minority community complains of marginalisation. | |
Tensions escalated last month after a Saudi court sentenced to death the leading Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr, a driving force behind the demonstrations. | Tensions escalated last month after a Saudi court sentenced to death the leading Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr, a driving force behind the demonstrations. |
Protests erupted in the region in February 2011 after violence between Shia pilgrims and religious police in the Muslim holy city of Medina. | Protests erupted in the region in February 2011 after violence between Shia pilgrims and religious police in the Muslim holy city of Medina. |
They escalated after the kingdom’s intervention in neighbouring Bahrain later that year to support a Sunni monarchy against an uprising led by the Shia majority. | They escalated after the kingdom’s intervention in neighbouring Bahrain later that year to support a Sunni monarchy against an uprising led by the Shia majority. |
Hundreds were arrested in a subsequent crackdown, according to Amnesty International. | Hundreds were arrested in a subsequent crackdown, according to Amnesty International. |
Nimr was shot and wounded during his arrest in July 2012 rekindling tensions in the region. | Nimr was shot and wounded during his arrest in July 2012 rekindling tensions in the region. |
After his death sentence for sedition on 15 October, his family accused the court of ignoring his “peaceful and non-violent approach”, saying the case had caused social and political discontent. | |
Three days later, gunmen fired on a security patrol in the east, setting fire to an oil pipeline. | Three days later, gunmen fired on a security patrol in the east, setting fire to an oil pipeline. |
Previous version
1
Next version