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German diplomats survive gun attack in Saudi's Eastern Province

February 9, 2014 at 4:29 pm

Two German diplomats escaped unharmed when gunmen attacked their car on Monday in eastern Saudi Arabia, said the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Quoting the spokesman of the Eastern Province Police Service, the SPA reported that police officers in Qatif received a tip-off on Monday morning that a diplomatic car belonging to the German Embassy came under fire at 6am near Awamiya. The identity of the attackers is not known.


“The car was hit but its two occupants, German diplomats, escaped unharmed with the help of a Saudi citizen,” the police spokesman said. He added that Saudi authorities are investigating the incident.

It has not been revealed if the attack was related to the civil unrest taking place in the kingdom’s Eastern Province. The oil-rich area is home to the majority of Saudi Arabia’s two million Shiites, who constitute 10 per cent of the total population.

Members of the Shiite minority accuse the Saudi authorities of marginalising and discriminating against them. Shiites, they claim, are prevented from taking administrative and military positions, especially in high-ranking state roles.