The Interior Ministry on Saturday named the suicide bomber who blew himself up outside a mosque in al-Ahsa region during Friday prayers eastern Saudi Arabia, killing himself and four other people.

The ministry identified the bomber as Saudi citizen, 22-year old Abdulrahman Abdullah Suleiman al-Tuwaijiri, the state-owned Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said citing the statement.

The statement added that it would announce the name of the second suicide bomber later, who is currently being treated at hospital after being shot at by police during the Friday attack.

On Friday, Saudi authorities prevented two suicide bombers from entering Imam Rida Mosque in Mahasen neighborhood in al-Ahsa region.



"When security men stopped them, one blew himself up at the entrance of the mosque and there was an exchange of fire with the other. He was wounded and arrested wearing an explosive belt," the spokesman said.

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Residents said security forces were exchanging gunfire with five suspects.

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Eastern regions of Saudi Arabia have been on alert after ISIS claimed two attacks Shia mosques last year.

In August, a suicide bomber killed at least 15 people in an attack on a mosque used by members of a local security force in southwest Saudi Arabia. In May, a suicide bomber blew himself up during Friday prayers at a mosque in the village of al-Qadeeh in eastern Saudi Arabia, killing at least 21 and wounding 81 others.



Last Update: Wednesday, 20 May 2020 KSA 09:45 - GMT 06:45