Shia-majority town in eastern Saudi Arabia devastated by demolitions and fighting

MENA

Published: 2017-08-16 15:02

Last Updated: 2024-03-26 18:27


An image of the war zone-like area of Awamiya in the Qatif region. (Photo Credit: Reuters/Faisal al-Nasser)
An image of the war zone-like area of Awamiya in the Qatif region. (Photo Credit: Reuters/Faisal al-Nasser)

A town in the north-east of Saudi Arabia known as Awamiya, has been the sight of deadly clashes between Saudi security forces and Shia militia. 

Sally Nabil, a reporter from the BBC, was granted special access to the location. Accompanied by security forces, she states that although the situation is unstable, the government says it is under control. 

"When we got to Awamiya, the scale of devastation was shocking. It looked like a war zone - as if we were in Mosul or Aleppo, " she says. "There is nothing left of the once vibrant residential area but bullet-riddled houses, and burned-out cars and shops - a testament to the heavy fighting."

Awamiya lies in the oil-rich Qatif region of the Eastern Province, and was once home to roughly 30,000 people, most of them Shia Muslims. 

Saudi Arabia's Shia minority population has complained for years about discrimination and marginalization from the Sunni monarchy, as they perceive. Protests however, are usually met with heavy crackdowns. 

Armed conflict began in May when authorities began developing the 400-year-old Musawara area, supposedly to build a new "development project".

80 houses were demolished, with 400 more scheduled for demolition according to mayor Essam Abdullatif al-Mulla. He stated however, that families were relocated and generously compensated. 

Violence escalated in July when when security forces sealed off entrances and exits to the town, denying residents essentials such as healthcare, according to activists. 

The conflict has taken the lives of 20 civilians, among them a three-year-old boy who died on Wednesday, as well as at least five militants, according to activists.

Saudi authorities say eight police officers and four special forces personnel have died, but did not release any information on civilian and militant deaths.

As of yet, the two narratives surrounding the conflict are those of civilians and those of security forces. On the one hand, civilians claim that the Saudi regime deprives them of their freedom, dignity, and right to a fair trial. On the other, Saudi forces state that areas like Awamiya have been housing terrorist groups for years.