JEDDAH: Officials in Qatif have condemned the killing of two policemen in a farming area in Saihat on Wednesday.

"These types of criminal and terrorist attacks are totally rejected and forbidden by Islamic law, and goes against all humanitarian and social norms," Sheikh Mohammed Al-Jirani, a judge at a court in Qatif, was quoted as saying by a local newspaper.

Al-Jirani said that what made it worse was that the perpetrators had attacked police officers who were on duty protecting the community. Allah Almighty would severely punish those who had committed such acts, he said.

These attackers were in effect declaring war on "our beloved nation and its people. We should stand behind our security officers," he was quoted as saying.

Abdul Haleem bin Hassan Al-Kidar, the mayor of Taruth Island near Qatif, said the vast majority of people in the region supports the country's police and other security officers, who are laying down their lives to protect the country and Islam.

Al-Kidar said the attacks on police officers were cowardly, and citizens must do whatever they can to counter such actions. He described the police officers in the country as "heroic" and the attackers as treasonous. He called on everyone to condemn the perpetrators.

The two policemen were shot dead on Wednesday when they came under fire in the kingdom’s east, the Interior Ministry said.

The predawn attack happened near a farm in the Saihat area of Qatif, on the Gulf coast. A ministry spokesman said the suspect or suspects had not immediately been identified.