Gunmen opened fire Saturday in separate attacks on compounds in eastern Saudi Arabian city of Khobar, Western diplomats said. Witnesses spoke with The AP of at least one attack on a compound where foreigners worked for an oil company.
There were three separate shooting attacks on housing compounds in Khobar, according to one Western diplomat. At least 10 people were killed, including a 10-year-old boy.
At least one American and two other Westerners were among those killed.
According to witnesses in Khobar, four gunmen wearing military-style uniforms attacked a compound near a petroleum company. Security cordoned off the area, they said. Later, Saudi security forces stormed an expatriate residential complex Saturday seeking the gunmen who had reportedly taken hostages.
The Saudi Ministry of Interior confirmed in a statement that "at 0730 am, this morning, four gunmen opened fire randomly at the headquarters of one of the companies and a residential complex in Al Khobar city and later they entered one of the residential complexes where
they were surrounded by Security Forces in one of the buildings."
the Crown Prince thanked them for their stand against terrorism and support for the government, noting that they and their ancestors are loyal to the religion and their country.
On his part, the Saudi Crown Abdullah said that four individuals stormed shops and killed 10 Saudis and non-Saudis including children. "Now, they are besieged in a compound. They want to wreak havoc and destabilize security. But security will be imposed on them by force," he was quoated as saying.
The Crown Prince added that this "deviating" group claimed that it does not want foreigners. "But foreigners have been invited to serve the country. This group wants to spread terrorism and destabilize security. Its individuals are your enemies. Our country will run in spite of them. Every enemy will be trodden, no matter how long or short time it takes. This group wants to destabilize your economy and prevent foreigners from coming to this country."
Earlier this month, another shooting rampage in a petrochemical complex in Yanbu killed five Western engineers and a National Guard officer. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
