Amnesty urges Saudi Arabia to protect Shi’a minority and to put end to discrimination

The Saudi Arabian authorities must take immediate steps to protect the country’s Shi’a Muslim minority from sectarian violence and put an end to decades of systematic discrimination, Amnesty International said few hours after the second deadly attack on a Shi’a mosque in the past week.

The Saudi Arabian authorities must take immediate steps to protect the country’s Shi’a Muslim minority from sectarian violence and put an end to decades of systematic discrimination, Amnesty International said few hours after the second deadly attack on a Shi’a mosque in the past week.

The terrorist attack in al-Dammam in the country’s Eastern Province left at least three people martyred and an unknown number injured during Friday prayers. It comes exactly one week after 22 people were martyred in an attack on another Shi’a mosque in nearby Qudaih on May 22.

According to eyewitnesses, Friday’s explosion took place in the car park of the al-Imam Hussein, peace be upon him, mosque in the al-Anoud neighborhood of al-Dammam around 15 minutes into Friday prayers.

Gruesome video footage and photos are being circulated online, apparently showing body parts scattered around the mosque. Al-Dammam’s central hospital has reported receiving multiple body parts gathered at the site of the attack.