At least 21 people have lost their lives and 97 others sustained injuries in a bomb attack carried out by the ISIS terrorist group against a Shia mosque in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
The figures were announced by Saudi Health Minister Khalid al-Faleh on Friday following the attack, which took place at Imam Ali (PBUH) Mosque in the village of al-Qadeeh, located in the oil-rich kingdom’s Qatif district and more than 420 kilometers (260 miles) east of the capital, Riyadh.
A bomber reportedly blew himself up in the mosque as more than 150 people had gathered for Friday prayers.
Later in the day, the ISIS terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack.
“We were doing the first part of the prayers when we heard the blast,” Kamal Jaafar Hassan, one of the worshipers, said.
On November 3, 2014, masked gunmen stormed a group of Shia Muslims participating in a ceremony marking the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (PBUH), the third Shia Imam, in the village of al-Dalwah in al-Ahsa Governorate of Eastern Province, and opened fire as people were observing Ashura, the 10th day of the lunar month of Muharram.
Eastern Province has been the site of peaceful demonstrations, mostly in the districts of Qatif and Awamiyah, since February 2011.
Protesters have been demanding reforms, freedom of expression and the release of political prisoners. They want an end to economic and religious discrimination against the oil-rich region.
Several demonstrators have been killed and dozens of activists have been arrested since the beginning of protests in the region.
