Confrontations end in Saudi Arabia by killing 14 gunmen, detaining others

The Saudi Arabian ministry of the interior announced that chasing of armed gunmen in al-Rass city, in al-Qasim area, 350 Km to the north west of Riyadh, ended today by the killing of 14 gunmen in the clashes which lasted for three successive days.

The Ministry explained in a statement issued on Tuesday evening in the Saudi TV that the confrontations also resulted in detaining 6 persons including five injured.

Confrontations between the Saudi security forces and the armed elements ended after the Saudi forces were able to break into the buildings were the gunmen were fortified following fire exchange between the two sides in the longest and fiercest chase campaign launched by the Saudi forces in two years against armed men in the kingdom.

Confrontations started on Sunday early morning when the security forces tried to break into the house of a suspect who threw mortars at the security forces.

Saudi security forces said the security forces asked the gunmen to surrender but they refused.

The Saudi authorities said that at least 90 civilians and 39 security men were killed during the two past years in the attacks launched by gunmen. The attacks also inflected material losses estimated at $275 million. During the same period the police killed 90 gunmen.