Saudi Arabia: Fatal attack against police in Qatif July 30

Event

A Saudi police officer was killed and six others wounded in a rocket attack that occurred in the town of Awamiya, in the Qatif region (Eastern Province), on Sunday, July 30. Awamiya was also the target of a July 26-27 raid by security forces that left five suspected militants dead.

Sunday's incident is being investigated as a terrorist attack. This is the latest in a string of similar attacks in the Qatif area, where violence has intensified in recent weeks.

Context

Eastern Province is home to numerous Shi'a militants classified by the Saudi government as terrorists. Sporadic clashes between these militants and security forces occur frequently in the province (especially in Qatif and Dammam) and security forces regularly conduct raids in the region.

Generally speaking, sociopolitical tensions are high in the province, which is mostly populated by Shi'a Muslims, whereas the rest in the rest of the country the majority of the population is Sunni. Since 2011, Saudi Arabia's Shi'a Muslims have staged numerous demonstrations against what they see as the systematic economic marginalization of their community by the central government. The Islamic State (IS) has previously launched attacks on Shi'as in Qatif.

Advice

Individuals in the Eastern Province are advised to avoid any form of gatherings and to monitor the situation. Due to the risk of sporadic outbreaks of violence, the American government prohibits its personnel from traveling to Qatif and surrounding suburbs as well as to Hofuf and surrounding suburbs.

More generally, given the prevailing terrorist risk in Saudi Arabia, those present in the country are advised to exercise caution at all times, avoid public places lacking adequate security measures or locations deemed particularly likely to be targeted in the event of an attack (e.g. official buildings, military zones, etc.), and report all suspicious objects or behavior to authorities.