Saudi soldier killed in attack in Shia province

Armed attackers killed a border guard soldier and wounded another in the Saudi province of Qatif late on Thursday.

The slain soldier was identified as Mohammed Hazai. Authorities continue their investigation into the attack.

The attack comes days after Saudi Arabia executed four Shias convicted on terrorism charges for attacks on the police and their role in violent protests.

The interior ministry said the four were executed for incidents that took place in Qatif, home to the town of al-Awamiya, where there has been a surge in violence since May between Shia militants and security forces.

The oil-rich region has been rocked by unrest since 2011, when Shia protests erupted to demand equality in the Gulf kingdom.

Authorities have blamed the unrest on "terrorists" and drug traffickers.

In May, bulldozers began demolishing al-Awamiya's historic district in Qatif, with plans to tear down several hundred homes, as officials allege it has become a hideout for local militants.

The destruction sparked shoot-outs in the streets between Saudi security forces and Shia gunmen, and stoked sectarian tensions that resonate around the region.