Saudi officials say gunfire directed toward security forces has killed a man in a village in eastern Saudi Arabia where mourning ceremonies are underway for the executed Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.
The official Saudi Press Agency reported early Monday that a man was killed in al-Awamiya village and a child was wounded. The family of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr is holding three days of mourning in the village at a local mosque.
Authorities offered no details on who they suspected in the shooting.
Al-Nimr was an outspoken critic of Saudi Arabia’s Sunni monarchy but denied ever calling for violence. His execution on Saturday has sparked outrage among Shias across the region.
The sheikh’s brother, Mohammed al-Nimr, has told The Associated Press that Saudi officials informed his family that the cleric had been buried in an undisclosed cemetery, a development that could lead to further protests.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister says Saudi Arabia’s decision to severe diplomatic relations cannot cover up Riyadh’s “strategic mistake” in killing a prominent Shia cleric.
Hossein Amir Abdollahian also accused Saudi Arabia of promoting terrorism and extremism in the Middle East. His comments were broadcast on Monday on Iranian state television.
Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic relations with Iran late Sunday, hours after protesters stormed and set fire to the Saudi Embassy in Tehran. It also followed harsh criticism by Iran’s top leader of the Saudis’ execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.
Al-Nimr’s execution has opened a new chapter in the ongoing Sunni-Shia power struggle playing out across the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia and Iran as primary antagonists.
