Saudi soldier killed, another wounded in restive Qatif province

DUBAI - 14 July 2017: A Saudi soldier was killed and another was wounded in a shooting attack on their patrol vehicle in the kingdom's Qatif province, the Interior Ministry said on Friday, which calling it a "terrorist crime".

The oil-producing region is home to a large Shi'ite population and has been a flashpoint between the Sunni Muslim government and Shi'ites complaining of discrimination.

Qatif has seen protests for more rights for Shi'ites and a series of deadly militant attacks on security forces which have mounted since Nimr al-Nimr, a Shi'ite cleric convicted of inciting violence, was executed a year ago.