Four people were killed and nine people were injured in clashes in Saudi Arabia , an Interior Ministry spokesman said Thursday . Two people were killed in protests , then two more died when gunfire broke out during a funeral procession , Interior Ministry spokesman Mansur al-Turki said . The fighting occurred in the Qatif region of Eastern Province , where many Shiites in the predominantly Sunni country live . Al-Turki blamed `` unknown criminal sources '' for the casualties . `` The goal of the rioters is to achieve suspicious objectives dictated to them by their masters abroad , '' al-Turki said . He did not specify to which country he was referring . There have been street disturbances in nearby Bahrain , a predominantly Shiite country ruled by a Sunni monarchy . And there has been tension between Iran , also a predominantly Shiite nation , and the Sunni world . Earlier this year , Shiite protesters in the Qatif region urged the Saudi government to release Shiite prisoners and grant more rights . Those protests , which were peaceful , also urged the withdrawal of regional forces from Bahrain . Al-Turki said Thursday 's violence in Qatif `` started gradually Monday and it escalated with what happened today . ''
Gunfire breaks out during a funeral procession in Saudi Arabia . Nine people also injured in protests , Interior Ministry spokesman says . Shiite protesters earlier this year urged government to release prisoners , grant rights .