Hundreds of people fled the town of Awamiya in Eastern Saudi Arabia following weeks of clashes between the security forces and armed groups that have claimed the lives of at least seven people, BBC reported Aug. 2. Buildings were damaged or burned in the fighting and people in the town were said to be running out of drinking water. The fighting intensified after authorities started trying to demolish the old quarter of the town in May, accusing Shiite militants of using its narrow streets as hideouts. Unrest in this part of the country is not unusual, and violence between Saudi security forces and Shiite militants in Eastern Province is common.