Saudi Arabia Blames Protests on 'Outside Forces'

October 05, 2011 from Al Jazeera English

Saudi Arabia has blamed an unnamed foreign power for clashes that took place in its oil-rich Eastern Province in which it says 14 people were injured. The unrest, on Monday night, occurred in the Gulf coast city of Qatif, which is home to a large Shia population and was the scene of protests earlier this year. "A foreign country is trying to undermine national security by inciting strife in Qatif," Saudi state television cited the interior ministry as saying on Tuesday. Al Jazeera's Mohamed Vall reports.

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Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia, officially known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is the largest Arab state in Western Asia by land area and the second-largest in the Arab world. It is bordered by Jordan and Iraq to the north, Kuwait to the northeast, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates ... Explore this topic

Qatif

Qatif or Al-Qatif is a governorate and urban area located in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. It extends from Ras Tanura and Jubail in the north to Dammam in the south, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to King Fahd International Airport in the west. This region has its own... Explore this topic

2011-2012 Saudi Arabia protests

The 2011–13 Saudi Arabian protests were influenced by the Arab Spring that started with the 2011 Tunisian revolution. Protests started with a self-immolation in Samtah and Jeddah street protests in late January 2011, followed by protests against anti-Shia discrimination in Feb... Explore this topic

Protest

An act of defiance or objection by an individual or group of people. Protests can take many forms: peaceful or violent, direct or indirect, large or small. Protests in the news are often political in nature, as groups of citizens voice their disagreement or dissatisfaction. Pr... Explore this topic

Shia Islam

The Shia represent the largest schismatic sect in Islam, accounting for 10-20% of the world's normative body of Muslims. Adherents of Shia Islam are called Shi'ites or Shias. "Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase Shīʻatul ʻAlī, meaning "followers", "faction", or "par... Explore this topic

Al-Awamiyah

Al-Awamia or Awamia is a Bahrani village situated in the Al-Qatif region in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. As of 2009, it has a population of about 25,000 people. Al-Awamia is bordered by the Al-Ramis farms to the east and some other farms to the west and the south. To ... Explore this topic

Police

The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by the state to enforce the law, protect property, and limit civil disorder. Their powers include the legitimized use of force. The term is most commonly associated with police services of a state that are authorized to ex... Explore this topic

Al Jazeera English

Al Jazeera English is an international 24-hour English-language news and current affairs TV channel headquartered in Doha, Qatar. It is the sister channel of the Arabic-language Al Jazeera. The station broadcasts news features and analysis, documentaries, live debates, current... Explore this topic

Also See

Saudi Arabia

Qatif

2011-2012 Saudi Arabia protests

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