Residents will soon be able to return to their homes almost three months after an escalation in security operations to clear terrorists and criminals from Al-Musawara, a village in Al-Awamiyah in Qatif.
With Saudi Special Security Forces (SSSF) in control of the area since Friday, construction crews have been able to begin repairing homes and businesses damaged in the clashes that forced 428 families to flee.
In May, development work on a shopping and recreation project in the village had to be halted after construction workers came under heavy arms fire from militants. A bulldozer driver and a two-year-old child were killed.
As SSSF officers moved to restore order they were met with heavy arms fire, including rocket propelled grenades and improvised explosive devices, from abandoned buildings. Residents were forced to flee as the attacks grew more aggressive and deadly.
“Citizens were calling asking for help to escape,” said Fahd, an officer in Al-Musawara. “We rescued many families. Some of them told us that any time they stepped out of a building they would be shot at. The terrorists were not allowing them to leave.”
In a single day, a police officer was killed and six others wounded when their patrol came under fire.
Between July 22 and July 30, at least five people were killed as security forces began to flush out the remaining terrorists and criminals.
“When the next stage of the development began in May of this year, the demolition stage, the village had to be completely unoccupied. As demolition works began, construction workers were being shot at,” said Essam Abdulatif Al-Mulla, acting mayor of Qatif. “Terrorists and criminals escalated their assault and at that the police began a mandatory evacuation.”
In several years of clashes in Qatif, 28 police officers have been killed and 195 wounded, the Interior Ministry says. In addition, 21 Saudi citizens and seven expatriates have been killed, and 109 Saudis and 26 expatriates injured.
Last Wednesday, after an intense campaign by security forces, Al-Musawara was declared 90 percent safe and by Friday it was declared completely free of terrorist and criminal elements.
The area is now empty and demolition of the most damaged areas, which became a hideout for terrorists, wanted individuals and criminals, can begin.
Reconstruction of buildings in the surrounding district and the restoration of utilities are thought to be a few weeks away.

Source: Arab News