U.S. Acknowledges Reports of Shots Fired at Libya Protests

The White House said on Thursday it was aware of reports that shots had been fired during a protest in Saudi Arabia

Senior White House aide Ben Rhodes told reporters the United States was "certainly aware of those reports." The official also said that U.S. officials have previously conveyed to the Saudis their support for universal rights in the region.

Saudi police dispersed a protest by a Shi'ite minority in the OPEC member's oil-producing Eastern province on Thursday with one to four people wounded as shots were heard, witnesses there said.

One witness said police fired percussion bombs to disperse the crowd of around 200 people, while a witness and Shi'ite activist said shots were fired.