Five killed in Saudi Arabia shooting during Ashoura

Riyadh: At least five people were killed and nine wounded when three masked men shot them with machine guns and pistols during "Ashoura" in Saudi Arabia's Eastern province, media reported Tuesday.

The shooting occurred in Al-Ahsa governorate in the Eastern province, one of the main centres of the Shiite Muslim minority in Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, Xinhua reported citing the Sabaq e-newspaper.

The shooters arrived in a car and started to attack them, a police spokesperson said.

The reason behind the shooting is still unclear and the identities of the three attackers also not established.

The attack happened when the Shiite Muslims were taking part in ceremony to mark their Ashoura, the holy day commemorating the death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of Prophet Mohammed, who is revered by the Shiites.