JEDDAH: A policeman was killed in a bomb attack in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province on Thursday, authorities said.
A police patrol was targeted while in the Al-Musawara neighborhood of Qatif Municipality resulting in the death of Cpl. Abdullah Treiki Al-Turki and wounding six others, the Interior Ministry said, cited by the official SPA news agency.
The attack, carried out by terrorists, was the second this week in the same area. On Tuesday morning Vice Sgt. Adel Faleh Al-Otaibi was killed and 3 others were wounded after a explosive projectile hit their vehicle.
Earlier Thursday, Sgt. Abdul Aziz Al-Turki, who was injured by an improvised explosive device in the town of Awamiyah in Qatif on Tuesday, died at the Central Hospital of Qatif.
Al-Turki was on duty patrolling the area in an armored vehicle when an explosive was thrown at him.
He was taken to hospital for emergency surgery on his head, but his health deteriorated.
Al-Musawara is a district in Awamiyah which the Saudi government has slated for development. It contains many abandoned houses which terrorists use for their hideouts. Last month, a security officer was martyred and another injured when workers of a contracting company came under fire while working on a housing project.
The district’s development project is considered one of the most significant programs to be carried by the Eastern Province Governorate. It is being supervised by the Qatif Municipality.
As part of the project, many dilapidated and abandoned houses had to be demolished. The narrow alleyways that led into the area posed immense risks to the residents. The existence of abandoned and destroyed houses became an obstacle for providing better civic services to the area’s residents.
Qatif residents in general and Awamiyah in particular welcomed the development project which includes the establishment of a public market, heritage stores, archaeological zone, cultural center, public library, sports facility, cafeterias, restaurants, commercial complex and women’s club.
The governorate confirmed that it will continue the demolition work of the old buildings to pave way for the implementation of the new project which will turn the central area of Awamiyah into a modern town.