Three Saudi policemen who were patrolling the streets in the eastern Shiite province of Qatif were wounded by unknown gunmen, the local SPA news agency reported on Friday.
According to the Interior Ministry, the incident occurred on Thursday. The patrol “was hit by heavy gunfire in the evening in the town of Al-Awamiya,” the agency quoted a police official as saying. “Three policemen were wounded and rushed to hospital,” the agency said.
An investigation has been opened into the shooting.
Shiite youth protesters have become a real headache for the Saudi peace officers over the last year. Young people regularly organize meetings and demonstrations, declared illegal in the ultra-conservative kingdom. Police used fairly stringent measures, using tear gas and rubber bullets, as well as detaining protesters.
