Riyadh: Saudi Arabia on Wednesday transferred the deputy governor of the kingdom’s Eastern Province, in the aftermath of an unprecedented attack against Shiites in the region.
A royal decree “decided to relieve Emir Jalwi Bin Abdul Aziz Bin Musaid Al Saud” from his post and transfer him to Najran region bordering Yemen, the Saudi Press Agency reported without further explanation.
Seven Shiites, including children, were gunned down in the eastern town of Al Dalwa last week during the commemoration of Ashura, one of the Shiites’ holiest occasions.
Following the killings, a royal decree dismissed Culture and Information Minister Abdulaziz Khoja.
The reasons for his firing remain unclear but it followed Shiite calls for action against hate speech in the media.
Since 2011, protests and sporadic attacks on security forces have occurred in Shiite areas of Eastern Province, home to most of the minority community which complains of marginalisation.
A gunman shot and wounded two policemen on patrol in the eastern community of Qatif on Tuesday, local media reported, citing provincial police.
