Saeed Haider
Saudi Gazette
DAMMAM — Eastern Province Emir Prince Saud Bin Naif visited those injured in the Al-Kawther terrorist attack at Dammam Central Hospital here on Sunday.
Three terrorists on Friday evening opened fire in front of a Husainiya (a Shitte congregation hall) in Al-Kawther area, near Sihat, 20 km from Dammam City Center, in which six people were killed including a terrorist. Ten others were injured.
The Emir prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and instructed the hospital management to take full care of them.
He said that security of the country and its citizens and residents was the top priority of the government and every possible measures were being taken to foil such nefarious and barbaric attacks in which innocent citizens and residents become victims.
He said the security personnel in the Eastern Province are always on a high alert and have in the past foiled many subversive acts.
He called upon citizens and residents to to remain vigilant and cooperate with the security authorities. “Every citizen of the country is our first security personnel and their cooperation will surely yield very positive results,” Prince Saud said.
The Emir said the father of one of the terrorists had contacted security agencies to report dubious behavior of his son. But unfortunately the alleged terrorist kept a low profile and went into hiding.
Meanwhile the taxi driver, Shaiq Asghar — who sustained seven bullet injuries on his arms, thighs, neck and chest — is recovering at the hospital.
According to doctors, he is stable and out of danger.
Narrating his story, Asghar said he was driving on King Saud Street when a young Saudi of average height stopped him.
“He was looking like any other passenger and boarded the taxi, asking me to drive to Al-Hayat Plaza in Anoud area. After a few minutes when we reached near SEC on King Saud Street, the passenger took out his gun and asked me to get out of the taxi. When I protested, he opened indiscriminate firing and pushed me outside the car.”
Asghar was later spotted by policemen who rushed him to the hospital.
The funeral of the four victims of the terrorist attack will be held either on Monday or Tuesday, depending upon the completion of identification process of the bodies and those injured in the attack.
According to eyewitness accounts published in local Arabic dailies, the young terrorist walked freely in the streets after getting out of the taxi and targeted bystanders.
The eyewitnesses described the incident as similar to a PlayStation game. They said the young terrorist was running through the neighborhood firing randomly at the people.
They said the terrorist started firing at the people near the Husainiya before running about 200 meters to reach the Sihat general street (Gulf Road), shot a pedestrian and started exchanging gunfire with the security forces near Al-Muntazah markets.
They said, while still firing randomly, the terrorist took the other track of the road leading to Dammam while shooting at the security forces.
According to the eyewitnesses, the security forces asked him to stop firing and give himself up but he would not listen.
They said the terrorist hid behind a garbage bin and continued firing at the security men who responded. In the gun battle, the terrorist was killed.
Buthayna Al-Abbad, a fifth year medicine student at Dammam university, was among the victims killed by the terrorist. She died 15 minutes after arriving at the hospital.
She was to be engaged in December.
Her brother Hiadar said Buthanyna was getting out of a car near the Husainiya carrying her aunt’s baby when she was shot in the back.
