Riyadh: a clash with wanted persons resulted in killing 3 police men

Saudi Arabia's security forces yesterday launched a new confrontation with wanted gunmen who resisted the police force which tried to break into several buildings in al-Sweidi quarters in southern Riyadh and this resulted in killing three members of the Saudi security forces and one of the wanted persons.

A Saudi official said that the Saudi security forces arrested following these clashes, seven extremist Islamists of Saudi nationality. One of them was strongly wounded and is suspected to have links to al-Qaida organization.

The statement added that the gunmen who are suspected to be Islamists activists opened fire at the special security forces using mortars and machine guns. Witnesses said that "helicopters flew over the site in search of the wanted persons who fled." The witnesses added that the Saudi security forces cordoned a three kilometers area, adding that the breaking in operations targeted at least five houses.

A security source said earlier that "the rate of clashing has been alleviated," adding that four security men and one Islamist were killed and more than 15 were injured."