Three bomb attacks hit near Shia mosque in Qatif and Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina

Two bomb blasts have hit near a Shia mosque in Saudi Arabia’s eastern city of Qatif while a third bomb has gone off close to a security headquarters at Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (Prophet’s Mosque) in the western city of Medina.

Witnesses said Monday that they saw body parts at the site of the explosion near Qatif’s Faraj al-Omran mosque, which is frequented by people in the holy month of Ramadan.

The first explosion in Qatif destroyed a car parked near the mosque, followed by another explosion just before 7 p.m. local time.

Local media said an attacker detonated his bomb when he was attempting to enter the mosque.

Nasima al-Sada, a resident of Qatif, told AFP that “one bomber blew himself up near the mosque,” which is usually used by Shias in downtown Qatif. She added that no bystanders were hurt in the blast.

Qatif in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province is where most of the country’s Shia population lives.

Later on, a bomber detonated his explosives near the security headquarters of the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Saudi Arabia’s western city of Medina.

Reports indicate that four security forces in addition to the bomber were killed in Medina bomb blast.

There has been no immediate report on possible casualties from the attacks and no group or individual has so far claimed responsibility of today’s blasts in Saudi Arabia.

The blasts, which took place as the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan is drawing to its end, followed an earlier bombing on Monday in which an explosion hit the surroundings of the United States consulate in the city of Jeddah, in western Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Interior Ministry said the attacker was killed and two Saudi policemen were injured in the attack which took place near a hospital.

Since late 2014, Saudi Arabia has been witnessing a series of bombings and shootings claimed by the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group and mostly targeting the country’s Shia Muslims in eastern part of the kingdom.

In January 2016, a bomber targeted a mosque in al-Ahsa, killing four people.

Last October, an armed terrorists opened fire on Shia Muslims commemorating Ashura, them martyrdom anniversary of the third Shia Imam, Imam Hussein (PBUH), in the eastern Qatif region, killing five before he was shot dead by the police.

Last June, four Shia Muslims were killed why trying to prevent a bomber from entering al-Anoud mosque in Dammam city in eastern Saudi Arabia and close to Qatif.