A suicide bomber killed four people and wounded one near the Prophet’s Mosque in the Saudi Arabian city of Medina on Monday.
It’s the third attack in the country in a day. A suicide bomber earlier detonated a device close to the American Consulate in Jeddah, killing only himself. Another attack was carried out near a mosque in the city of Qatif, where there were also no casualties reported.
The Prophet’s Mosque is the resting place of Mohammed and is the second holiest site in Islam.
Supporters of the Islamic State typically target Shiite mosques and security personnel in the country. Attacks have been growing in frequency as the month of Ramadan approaches its end, with the celebration of Eid al Fitr on Tuesday. Adherents of the Islamic State anticipate a greater reward in the afterlife for carrying out attacks during the holiday, and mosques are typically fullest at that time.
The U.S. Embassy issued a statement on Sunday and again on Monday, urging Americans to “remain aware of their surroundings, and take extra precautions when travelling throughout the country.” Officials also advised citizens to “carefully consider the risks of traveling to Saudi Arabia.”
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Earlier on Monday, Kuwaiti officials announced they had stopped two attacks planned in that country by a four-member Islamic State cell. At least one of those detained was allegedly planning a Tuesday bombing against another mosque.
The death toll from an attack carried out in Baghdad over the weekend is continuing to rise, and is now at approximately 200. Another 20 were killed in an attack on a cafe in Dhaka, Bangladesh on July 1.
