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Gunmen Kill 5 Near Saudi Oil Offices

Posted on: Saturday, 29 May 2004, 06:00 CDT

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Gunmen opened fire Saturday in separate attacks on compounds containing offices of oil companies in the eastern Saudi Arabian city of Khobar, killing at least five people and then taking hostages. Three foreigners were believed to be among the dead.

Witnesses spoke of four gunmen in military-style dress attacking two oil company offices; a Western diplomat said a total of three compounds were attacked. Other witnesses said they saw three men with Western features lying on the ground covered with newspapers. Those bodies were taken away in ambulances, they said.

Two security guards were believed to be dead, according to a Western diplomat who said there were three separate shooting attacks on housing compounds in Khobar, 250 miles northeast of the capital, Riyadh. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity.

An unidentified number of gunmen took refuge in a compound in the area housing Arabs and Westerners following a shootout with security forces, witnesses said. At least 10 ambulances were seen outside the Oases compound, an upscale residential complex owned by a Saudi businessman, one witness said. He said he was told by a policeman that gunmen were apparently holding hostages.

Witnesses said they had heard of eight people killed at two oil company offices, after which the gunmen took refuge in the housing compound.

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