Saudi police exchanged fire with "masked gunmen" at a protest in the Shia-populated east, killing one of them, state reported early Saturday, in the second fatal clashes in the oil-rich region in 24 hours. Activists contacted by AFP from Dubai said that Zuhair al-Said, 21, was killed as security forces dispersed a protest on Friday against the death of another Shia demonstrator the previous day.
"Security forces following an unauthorised gathering in the (Shia) town of Al-Awamiya in Qatif district came under fire from masked gunmen," the official SPA news agency quoted a police spokesman as saying. Police "responded, sparking an exchange of fire that resulted in the wounding of one of them, who died later."
An activist told AFP that Said was "shot dead by security forces as they dispersed a protest against the killing of another man" on Thursday. "Eight armoured vehicles belonging to Saudi security forces intervened to disperse the protest," the activist said.
Munir al-Medani, also 21, died of his wounds on Thursday after being shot by security forces in the Al-Shwaika neighbourhood of Qatif during a Shia demonstration for reform in the ultra-conservative Sunni Muslim kingdom, activists said. Saudi authorities said that Medani too died in an exchange of fire between security forces and "masked men."
Demonstrators also took to the streets of another Qatif town - Al-Rabieya - on Friday to protest against Medani's death, activists said. "Hundreds of demonstrators waved pictures of those killed and detained as they condemned the shooting (by Saudi security forces) on peaceful protests," one activist told AFP.
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