Security officer shot dead in Saudi Arabia

A Saudi security officer was killed while another wounded by heavy gunfire near the eastern province city of Qatif on Sunday according to local media reports. 

The shooting came from an unidentified vehicle, killing Sultan al-Mutairi and wounding his partner who were out on patrol at the time.

The attack in the latest in a number of similar incidents have been previously witnessed in the kingdom carried out by suspected Shia militants or the Islamic State group.

The eastern province where most of the killings of security personnel have take place is home to Saudi Arabia's Shia population, including the killing of two police officers earlier this week.

Saudi Arabia's Shia minority have long complained of marginalisation in the Sunni-majority kingdom, and have been targeted by Islamic State group militants.

Parts of the eastern area have seen repeated security incidents since 2011, when a wave of protests began among Shias demanding reform.

In August, four masked men opened fire on a policeman in Qatif.

The officer was wounded in the attack and died on the way to hospital, police said in a statement.

In January, four policemen were killed in similar attacks in the oil-rich east of the kingdom.  

Eastern province residents have said clashes with police are also sometimes linked to criminal activity including the drug trade.

Extremists from the Islamic State group have claimed attacks against Saudi security personnel elsewhere in the kingdom.