2017–2020 Qatif unrest
Phase of conflict in the Qatif region of Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 2017–2020 Qatif unrest was a phase of conflict in the Qatif region of Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, between Saudi security forces and the local Shia community,[6] that arose sporadically starting in 1979,[7] including a series of protests and repression during the 2011–12 Saudi Arabian protests.[8]
2017–2020 Qatif unrest | |||||||
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Part of the Qatif conflict | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Saudi Arabia |
Hezbollah Al-Hejaz (Suspected) Other Shia Militias Supported by: Saraya al-Mukhtar Bahraini Militias | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Local police units | Shia Militias | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
21 killed (Saudi claim) 40+ wounded |
5 killed (activists' claim) 16 killed (Saudi claim) 40+ wounded | ||||||
12–25 civilians killed (activists' claim)[4] Thousands of civilians displaced[5] |
This phase of the conflict began after an incident on 12 May 2017, when a child and a Pakistani man were shot and killed.[9] The detention of Qatif human rights activist Israa al-Ghomgham and her husband and the possible beheading of al-Ghomgham as the first Saudi woman to be executed for her human rights activities gained international attention during 2018.[10][11][12] On 31 January 2019, the Saudi authorities confirmed in a public statement that they would not seek the imposition of the death penalty against al-Ghomgham.[13][14][15]