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Three days ago, a suicide attack was carried out during the Friday prayer at a mosque in the village of Al-Qadeeh in eastern Saudi Arabia. In the dastardly attack, 21 worshippers lost their lives and 100 sustained injuries. Al-Qadeeh is situated in the Kingdom’s Qatif city. Shortly after the incident, the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack.
It bleeds my heart to read about children who become victims of these attacks. Children are not even aware of what is happening around them. In the Qatif attack, some of those who died were Saudi Aramco employees. One of the dead includes an official of the Saudi Civil Defense, which is part of the Ministry of Interior. The barbaric attack should not be perceived as against only the Shiites in Saudi Arabia. As a matter of fact, it is aimed against all Saudis. Saudis belonging to all segments of society condemn the attack and vehemently oppose the nonsense ideology of the attackers. We fully realize the true purpose of such attacks. Saudi will never allow anybody to divide their society along sectarian lines. Let us talk about the beautiful city, Qatif, and its lovely people. During my entire life I have had the opportunity to befriend and deal with people from Qatif. Due to my professional responsibilities, I had been a frequent visitor to this part of the Kingdom. People from these areas are very hardworking and dedicated and are considered one of the most innovative in the field of volunteer work. Qatif is considered one of the oldest inhibited areas and has very rich history. The land is very fertile thus farming has always remained popular among the people of this city. In addition to this, it is also considered an important fishing hub in the Gulf region.
The people of Qatif enjoy the love and respect of all the people in the Kingdom. Thus, it would be impossible for the IS or any other terrorist outfit or country to drive a wedge between Saudis. Sunnis or Shiites in the Kingdom are citizens enjoying equal rights and opportunities. Unity among Saudis will serve as a solid wall against any outside interference. This latest terrorist act is a cowardly and desperate act. They failed in the past and they failed today. Saudi Sunnis and Shiites stand united. |