The 2015 Saihat Shooting was a terrorist attack by the Islamic State in the city of Saihat, Qatif, in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. A resident claimed that the assailant approached a Hussainiya in a taxi, but was stopped at a checkpoint manned by volunteers protecting the site.[3] The suspect started shooting randomly inside the building, before the police intervened and killed the suspect.[4]
| 2015 Saihat Shooting | |
|---|---|
| Location | Saihat, Qatif, Saudi Arabia |
| Date | 16 October 2015 |
| Target | Shia Muslims |
| Weapons | Kalashnikov rifle |
| Deaths | 6 (including the attacker)[1] |
| Injured | 9[2] |
| Perpetrator |  ISIS |
| Motive | Anti-Shi'ism |
Attack
editA resident stated that the assailant approached the Hussainiya in a taxi but was stopped at a checkpoint manned by volunteers protecting the site.[5] A ministry interior spokesmen stated that at about 7 pm a suspect with an automatic weapon "started to shoot randomly" at a Shiite Hussainiya l used for commemorations in Saihat. As a result of his shooting, five citizens (four men and one woman) were killed. Nine others were wounded.[4] The militant was later shot dead by the police.[6]
Responsibility
editThe Islamic State claimed the attack[7] in a statement, claiming that the militant was named "Shuja al-Dawsari". They stated, “With the approval of God Almighty, the soldier of the caliphate Shuja al-Dawsari, may God accept him, set his Kalashnikov upon one of the apostate polytheists’ temples”.[3]
References
edit- ^ "Islamic State gunman kills five at Shi'ite center in Saudi Arabia". Reuters. 2015-10-17. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- ^ "Several killed in shooting at Shiite gathering in Saudi Arabia". France 24. 2015-10-17. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- ^ a b "Isis gunman kills five in Saudi Arabia before being shot dead by police". The Guardian. 2015-10-16. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- ^ a b "Several killed in shooting at Shiite gathering in Saudi Arabia". France 24. 2015-10-17. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- ^ "Islamic State gunman kills five at Shi'ite center in Saudi Arabia". Reuters. 2015-10-17. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- ^ "Terror attack in Saihat kills 5; gunman killed". Arab News. 2015-10-17. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- ^ "Saudi forces kill gunman after Shiite site attack". Al Arabiya English. 2015-10-16. Retrieved 2023-06-17.