Thursday, November 24, 2011

Two shot dead in renewed protests in Saudi Arabia

Two men were shot dead during renewed Shiite protests in Saudi Arabia, as police exchanged fire with gunmen who "infiltrated" the funeral of another protester, the interior ministry said on Thursday.

It said the new deaths late Wednesday brought to four the death toll of protests that began on Monday in the Eastern Province, while nine others were wounded, including two policemen and a woman, according to a statement carried by SPA state news agency.

"These casualties were sustained during exchange of fire with unknown criminals who infiltrated citizens and opened fire from residential areas," it said.

The ministry claimed that "a number of security checkpoints have since Monday been increasingly coming under gunfire attacks in the Qatif region by assailants motivated by foreign orders."

"Security forces have been exercising self restraint as much as possible," it said, adding that two citizens were killed and six others, including two policemen "who received gun shots," were wounded.

"Several incidents of fire exchange took place during the funeral of one of those ... which caused the death of two citizens and wounded three others," it added.

Medics had confirmed late Wednesday reports by witnesses and activists reports that two Shiites were shot dead during the funeral.

Ali Abdullah Al Qarayrees, 26, from Awamiya town, and Munib al-Sayyed Al-Adnan, 20, from Shweika, "were shot by security forces during demonstrations," witnesses said.

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