The Islamic State group (ISIS) claimed responsibility on Friday, June 1, for a suicide attack on a Shia mosque in Saudi Arabia. Saudi hospital officials report that at least 21 people were killed and 90 others injured in the suicide bombing that targeted a Shia mosque in eastern Saudi Arabia. According to Reuters, ISIS issued a statement claiming responsibility for the attack during Friday prayers in a village in Qatif, eastern Saudi Arabia. The group identified the attacker as Abu Ammar al-Najdi. An eyewitness told the news agency that while more than 150 people were praying at Imam Ali Mosque in the village of Al-Qudaih, a massive explosion occurred. Kamal Jafar Hassan stated in a phone interview with Reuters that he heard the explosion just after the first sermon had concluded. A spokesman for the Saudi Interior Ministry reacted to the suicide attack on Imam Ali Mosque, calling it a terrorist act. The spokesman emphasized that the suicide bomber had concealed an explosive belt under his clothing, which resulted in a high number of casualties. The Saudi Interior Ministry's statement stressed that security forces would make every effort to pursue the perpetrators of this terrorist crime. A hospital official told Reuters that at least 21 people were killed and over 90 injured in the suicide bombing on Friday, with the condition of some of the injured being critical. According to Reuters, a photo of a young man identified as the suicide bomber has been circulated on social media. The majority of Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia live in the east and around the country's oil-producing regions. Last fall, at least eight people were killed in an armed attack during Ashura ceremonies in the Al-Dalwa region of eastern Saudi Arabia. ISIS had previously threatened Saudi Arabia. Additionally, in a series of suicide attacks, the group killed at least 142 people in Shia mosques in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, on March 19 of last year. The suicide attack on this Shia mosque comes at a time when Saudi Arabia and its allies have been conducting airstrikes against Houthi Shia militia positions in Yemen for nearly two months.
Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Attack on Shia Mosque in Saudi Arabia
ISIS has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Qatif, Saudi Arabia, resulting in at least 21 deaths and 90 injuries. This attack highlights ongoing sectarian violence and the threat posed by ISIS in the region, particularly against Shia communities. The incident raises concerns about security and sectarian tensions in Saudi Arabia.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
A suicide bomber attacked a Shia mosque during Friday prayers in Qatif, Saudi Arabia, killing at least 21 people and injuring over 90. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, highlighting the ongoing threat to Shia communities in the region.
- The attack occurred in the Imam Ali Mosque in Al-Qudaih during a busy prayer service.
- This incident follows a pattern of violence against Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia and the region.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shia Muslims have long plagued the Middle East, with ISIS targeting Shia communities as part of its extremist ideology.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%