Saudi security forces have killed two suspected militants in a police raid on a “terrorist hotbed” that resulted to two others blowing themselves up.
Mansour al-Turki, Spokesman of the Interior Ministry, said that police had surrounded a building in the western holy city of Mecca, where the four suspects were holed up.
“The terrorists started opening fire at security forces, who responded, killing two of the terrorists.
“The two others had used explosive belts to blow themselves up.
“No casualties were reported among security personnel,’’ he said.
He said the four were suspected of having links to the Islamic State extremist militia and were wanted by the authorities.
In recent months, Saudi authorities have carried out a series of crackdowns on people suspected of having connections with Islamic State.
The militant group has claimed responsibility for several bomb attacks in the oil-rich kingdom in recent years.
The bombings mainly targeted Saudi Arabia’s Shiite Muslim minority whom the radical Sunni group regards as heretics. (dpa/NAN)