Qatif conflict

Short description: Conflict in Saudi Arabia between Shias and Sunnis

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Qatif conflict

Part of the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict, Anti-Shia discrimination in Saudi Arabia, Arab Spring and the Shia-Sunni conflict

Map of Saudi Arabia, with Eastern Province (including Qatif region) highlighted.
| Date| 26 November 1979 – present
(46 years, 5 months, 2 weeks and 1 day)[3]

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Location|

Qatif and Awamiyah, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

Status|  Ongoing low-intensity conflict; violence ceased
Belligerents

Saudi Arabian Government

* Saudi Arabian National Guard
* Presidency of State Security
* Saudi Police

Iran-backed Shia militants (1980s–1990s)[1]

* Organization for the Islamic Revolution in the Arabian Peninsula (1979–91)[1]
* Hezbollah Al-Hejaz (1987–present; mostly inactive since 1990s)[2]

Saudi Shia civilians
Casualties and losses
80+ killed
300+ wounded[4]|  350+ killed
760+ wounded
Thousands arrested[5][6][7]
182–219 killed (by 1983)[8]
750+ civilians killed (activists' claim)[9]
Thousands of civilians displaced[10]
Template:Campaignbox Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflictTemplate:Campaignbox Qatif conflict

The Qatif conflict is a modern phase of sectarian tensions and violence in Eastern Arabia between Arab Shia Muslims and the Arab Sunni majority, which has ruled Saudi Arabia since early 20th century. The conflict encompasses civil unrest which has been sporadically happened since the 1979 uprising, pro-democracy and pro-human rights protests and occasional armed incidents, which increased in 2017 as part of the 2017–20 Qatif unrest.[11] Human Rights Watch sees the conflict as stemming from pervasive anti-Shia prejudice in Saudi Arabia, compounded by geopolitical rivalries in the region.[12]

## Contents

* 1 Background
* 2 History
* 2.1 1979 uprising
* 2.2 1979–83 crackdown
* 2.3 Arab Spring protests 2011–12
* 2.4 Execution controversy of Nimr al-Nimr
* 2.5 Unrest (2017–2020)
* 2.6 Demonstrations (2022)
* 3 Human rights
* 4 See also
* 5 References

## Background

Since Al-Hasa and Qatif were conquered and annexed into the Emirate of Riyadh in 1913 by Ibn Saud, Shiites in the region had experienced state of oppression. Unlike most of Saudi Arabia, Qatif has a Shiite majority, and the region is also being of key importance to the Saudi government due to its closeness to the bulk of Saudi oil reserves as well as the main Saudi refinery and export terminal of Ras Tanura, which is situated close to Qatif.[13]

## History

### 1979 uprising

The 1979 Qatif Uprising was a period of unprecedented civil unrest that occurred in Qatif and Al-Hasa, Saudi Arabia, in late November 1979. The unrest resulted in 20-24 people killed in what was described as a sectarian outburst of violence between the Shi'a minority and Sunni majority in Saudi Arabia and the beginning of the modern phase of the Qatif conflict.[14]

### 1979–83 crackdown

After the 1979 uprising, the Saudi authorities have engaged in systematic persecution of Shi'a activists in Qatif, with an estimated 182-219 killed by 1983 (including the 1979 events).[8]

### Arab Spring protests 2011–12

Main article: Religion:2011–12 Saudi Arabian protests

With the coincidence of the events of the Arab Spring in most Arab countries, especially in Bahrain, on February 17, hundreds of Shiites went out in Qatif to demand economic reforms in Qatif and Al-Ahsa, and to demand Shia rights in Saudi Arabia, and this continued until 2012, and 20 Shiite demonstrators and 4 security forces were killed. And 952 people were arrested, then 735 people were released[15]

The protests in Saudi Arabia were part of the Arab Spring that started with the 2011 Tunisian revolution. Protests started with a self-immolation in Samtah[16] and Jeddah street protests in late January 2011.[17][18] Protests against anti-Shia discrimination followed in February and early March in Qatif, Hofuf, al-Awamiyah, and Riyadh.[19] A Facebook organiser of a planned 11 March "Day of Rage",[20][21] Faisal Ahmed Abdul-Ahad,[22] was allegedly killed by Saudi security forces on 2 March,[22][23][24] with several hundred people protesting in Qatif, Hofuf and al-Amawiyah on the day itself.[25] Khaled al-Johani demonstrated alone in Riyadh,[25] was interviewed by BBC Arabic Television, was detained in ʽUlaysha Prison,[26][27] and became known online as "the only brave man in Saudi Arabia".[26] Many protests over human rights took place in April 2011 in front of government ministry buildings in Riyadh, Ta'if and Tabuk[28][29] and in January 2012 in Riyadh.[30] In 2011, Nimr al-Nimr encouraged his supporters in nonviolent resistance.[31]

### Execution controversy of Nimr al-Nimr

On 15 October 2014, al-Nimr was sentenced to death by the Specialized Criminal Court for "seeking 'foreign meddling' in [Saudi Arabia], 'disobeying' its rulers and taking up arms against the security forces".[32] Said Boumedouha of Amnesty International stated that the death sentence was "part of a campaign by the authorities in Saudi Arabia to crush all dissent, including those defending the rights of the Kingdom's Shi'a Muslim community."[33]

Nimr al-Nimr's brother, Mohammad al-Nimr, tweeted information about the death sentence[32] and was arrested on the same day.[33]

The head of Iran's armed forces warned Saudi Arabia that it would "pay dearly" if it carried out the execution.[34]

In March 2015 the Saudi Arabian appellate court upheld the death sentence against al-Nimr.[citation needed]

On 25 October 2015, the Supreme Religious Court of Saudi Arabia rejected al-Nimr's appeal against his death sentence. During an interview for Reuters, al-Nimr's brother claimed that the decision was a result of a hearing which occurred without the presence or notification of al-Nimr's lawyers and family. This being said, he still remained hopeful that King Salman would grant a pardon.[35][36][37] However, on January 2, 2016, al-Nimr was executed.[38][39]

### Unrest (2017–2020)

The 2017–20 Qatif unrest occurred in the Qatif region (within Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia) between the Saudi government and the Shia militants until it died down in 2020. It began in May 2017 after an incident on 12 May when a child and a Pakistani young man were shot and killed.[40] In the same month, Saudi authorities erected siege barricades in Awamiyah and attempted to bulldoze the al-Musawara residential area. The conflict became an armed conflict, with about 12–25 people killed in shelling and sniper fire during May and the following few months.[41]

On 11 May 2019, 8 militants were killed in a firefight with Saudi security forces in the Sanabis neighborhood of Qatif.[42]

On 7 January 2020, The "most dangerous wanted terrorist" in Qatif was captured after he fired on a security patrol, according to state-run news media[43] effectively ending the 2017–20 Qatif unrest.

### Demonstrations (2022)

On 14 March 2022, thousands of Shi'ite protestors took to streets after the executions of several Shi'ites in alleged unfair trials.[citation needed]

## Human rights

## See also

* List of modern conflicts in the Middle East
* insurgency in Bahrain
* Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Reform Promises More of the Same for Saudi Arabia's Shiites". Stratfor. 24 January 2017. https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/reform-promises-more-same-saudi-arabias-shiites.
2. ↑ al-Suhail, Turki (25 August 2017). "Iran Planned to Revive 'Hezbollah Al-Hejaz' Under Al-Mughassil's Command". Asharq Al-Awsat. https://english.aawsat.com/turkisuhail/news-middle-east/iran-planned-revive-hezbollah-al-hejaz-al-mughassils-command.
3. ↑ "Executed as a Child: The Case of Abdulallah al-Derazi". https://www.adhrb.org/2025/11/executed-as-a-child-the-case-of-abdulallah-al-derazi/#:~:text=This is evidence of how,Saudi Arabia is a party.
4. ↑ "Two killed in clash with Saudi security forces". CNN. 27 September 2012. https://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/26/world/meast/saudi-arabia-clashes-fatalities/index.html.
5. ↑ "Opposition Movements in the Saudi Kingdom and their History". http://www.nyupolitics.org/opposition-movements-in-the-saudi-kingdom-and-their-history/.
6. ↑ al-Qudaihi, Anees (24 March 2009). "Saudi Arabia's Shia press for rights". BBC News. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7959531.stm.
7. ↑ "The History of Hizbullah Al-hijaz". Arabia Today. 9 May 2011. http://arabia2day.com/tag/islamic-revolution-organization-in-the-arabian-peninsula/.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Peterzell, Jay (24 September 1990). "The Gulf: Shi'Ites: Poorer Cousins". TIME. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,971225,00.html. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
9. ↑ McKernan, Bethan (4 August 2017). "Inside the Saudi town that's been under siege for three months by its own government". The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-siege-town-own-citizens-government-kingdom-military-government-awamiyah-qatif-a7877676.html.
10. ↑ "Unrest in Saudi Arabia town displaces thousands". Al Jazeera. 13 August 2017. http://www.aljazeera.com/video/news/2017/08/saudi-arabia-unrest-forces-thousands-homes-170813142459213.html.
11. ↑ Abouzzohour, Yasmina (March 8, 2021). "The survival of Arab monarchies, 10 years after the Arab Spring". Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2021/03/08/heavy-lies-the-crown-the-survival-of-arab-monarchies-10-years-after-the-arab-spring/.
12. ↑ "Anti-Shia Bias Driving Saudi Arabia Unrest | Human Rights Watch" (in en). 2017-08-24. https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/08/24/anti-shia-bias-driving-saudi-arabia-unrest.
13. ↑ Nehme, Michel G. (October 1994). "Saudi Arabia 1950–80: Between Nationalism and Religion". Middle Eastern Studies 30 (4): 930–943. doi:10.1080/00263209408701030.
14. ↑ Carboni, Andrea (27 April 2018). "Conflict in Qatif" (in en-US). https://acleddata.com/2018/04/26/conflict-in-qatif/.
15. ↑ "3 جرحى من الشرطة السعودية بهجوم مسلح في القطيف | جفرا نيوز". 2023-06-01. https://jfranews.com.jo/article/81160.
16. ↑ "Man dies after setting himself on fire in Saudi Arabia". BBC News. 23 January 2011. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12260465.
17. ↑ "Flood sparks rare action". The Gazette. 29 January 2011. https://montrealgazette.com/news/Flood+sparks+rare+action/4189873/story.html.
18. ↑ "Dozens detained in Saudi over flood protests". The Peninsula. Reuters (Qatar). 29 January 2011. http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/middle-east/140720-dozens-detained-in-saudi-over-flood-protests.html.
19. ↑ Laessing, Ulf; Matthew Jones (5 March 2011). "Saudi Arabia says won't tolerate protests". Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-protests-idUSTRE72419N20110305.
20. ↑ Spencer, Richard; James Kirkup; Nabila Ramdani (21 February 2011). "Libya: Muammar Gaddafi's regime on the brink of collapse". The Daily Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8339435/Libya-Muammar-Gaddafis-regime-on-the-brink-of-collapse.html.
21. ↑ "Middle East unrest: Saudi and Bahraini kings offer concessions". The Guardian. 23 February 2011. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/23/middle-east-unrest-concessions.
22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Saudi-Arabiens Mächtige werden nervös" (in de). Handelsblatt. DPA. 2 March 2011. https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/saudi-arabiens-maechtige-werden-nervoes/3904178.html.
23. ↑ "Report: Saudi Facebook activist planning protest shot dead". DPA. Monsters and Critics. 2 March 2011. http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1623088.php/Report-Saudi-Facebook-activist-planning-protest-shot-dead.
24. ↑ Bustamante, Tom (2 March 2011). "Iraq Oil Refinery Attack Shows Need for EarthSearch (ECDC) Systems". Wall Street Newscast. http://www.wallstreetnewscast.com/news/2011/march/oil3257.html.
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Banerjee, Neela (11 March 2011). "Saudi Arabia 'day of rage' protest fizzles". Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-saudi-unrest-20110312,0,72557.story.
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Kennedy, Dana (8 April 2011). "Imprisoned Father of Autistic Boy Called 'the Bravest Man in Saudi Arabia'". AOL News. http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/08/khaled-al-johani-the-bravest-man-in-saudi-arabia.
27. ↑ Buchanan, Michael (24 May 2011). "Saudi Arabia: Calls for political reform muted". BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13507318.
28. ↑ Alsharif, Asma; Jason Benham (10 April 2011). "Saudi unemployed graduates protest to demand jobs". Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-protests-idUSTRE73914E20110410.
29. ↑ "Scuffles break out as teachers protest for job stability, higher wages". Arab News. 11 April 2011. http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article352952.ece.
30. ↑ "Saudi police break up rare Riyadh demo". Ahlul Bayt News Agency. Press TV. 14 January 2012. http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&id=290598.
31. ↑ Cowburn, Ashley (2 January 2016). "Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr profile: A 'holy warrior' who called for elections in Saudi Arabia". The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/sheikh-nimr-al-nimr-executed-a-holy-warrior-who-called-for-elections-in-the-saudi-kingdom-a6793656.html.
32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 "Saudi Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr 'sentenced to death'". BBC News. 2014-10-15. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-29627766.
33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 "Saudi Arabia: Appalling death sentence against Shi'a cleric must be quashed". Amnesty International. 2014-10-15. https://www.amnesty.org/en/news/saudi-arabia-appalling-death-sentence-against-shi-cleric-must-be-quashed-2014-10-15.
34. ↑ The Shia in Saudi Arabia: The sword unsheathed , economist.com.
35. ↑ "Saudi court upholds death sentence for Shi'ite cleric". Reuters. 25 October 2015. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-execution-idUSKCN0SJ0LS20151025.
36. ↑ Brittany Felder (26 October 2015). "Saudi Arabia top court confirms death sentence of Shiite Muslim Cleric". JURIST. http://jurist.org/paperchase/2015/10/saudi-arabia-top-court-confirms-death-sentence-of-shiite-muslim-cleric.php.
37. ↑ October 26, 2015. "Saudi Arabia court confirms Shia cleric death sentence" . Al Jazeera. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
38. ↑ "Saudi announces execution of 47 'terrorists'". Al Jazeera. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/01/saudi-announces-execution-47-terrorists-160102072458873.html.
39. ↑ "Saudi Arabia says Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, leading Shiite Muslim cleric, among 47 executed". Washington Post. Associated Press. 2 January 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/saudi-arabia-says-sheikh-nimr-al-nimr-leading-shiite-muslim-cleric-among-47-executed/2016/01/02/7c269600-b124-11e5-b281-43c0b56f61fa_story.html.
40. ↑ "Two, including infant, killed after 'terror shootout' in Saudi Arabia's Qatif". 12 May 2017. http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2017/05/12/-Saudi-Two-killed-after-terror-shoot-out-in-Qutaif.html.
41. ↑ McKernan, Bethan (4 August 2017). "Inside the Saudi town that's been under siege for three months by its own government". The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-siege-town-own-citizens-government-kingdom-military-government-awamiyah-qatif-a7877676.html.
42. ↑ "Saudi forces kill 'terrorist suspects' in Qatif region". https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/saudi-state-media-terrorist-suspects-killed-qatif-190512055024178.html.
43. ↑ "Saudi Arabia arrests 'most dangerous wanted terrorist' in eastern province". Al Arabiya. 7 January 2020. https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2020/01/07/Saudi-Arabia-arrests-wanted-man-after-he-opens-fire-at-security-patrol-officers.html.

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