ISIS claims attack on Saudi Shi'ite mosque

Dubai - The Islamic State jihadist group claimed a Friday suicide bombing on a Shiite mosque in Saudi Arabia, the second attack on Shi'ite worshippers in the kingdom in a week.

The bombing killed three people and was carried out by "soldier of the caliphate Abu Jandal al-Jazrawi," said an ISIS statement distributed by jihadist accounts on Twitter.

It said the bomber managed to "reach the target despite heavy protection" outside the Al-Anoud mosque in the coastal city of Dammam, in the Sunni kingdom's Shi'ite-populated east.

ISIS already claimed a similar bombing in Saudi Arabia last week that killed 21 people and group sympathisers are accused by Saudi authorities of gunning down seven members of the minority Shi'ite community in November.

The group's statement urged supporters to "cleanse" Saudi Arabia from Shi'ite Muslims and "their apostate protectors" ruling the kingdom.

Saudi Arabia is taking part in a US-led coalition pounding ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and is leading another alliance of Arab countries hitting rebels and their allies in neighbouring Yemen.