Saudi forces kill 3 militants in overnight clash

JEDDAH (Reuters) – Saudi forces killed three suspected al
Qaeda militants in overnight clashes in the eastern oil city of
Dammam as a standoff with police entered its third day on
Tuesday.

Security sources said two policemen were also killed in
fierce fighting at a besieged house in a Dammam neighbourhood
where a number of militants are believed to be hiding.

The deaths raised to five the number of militants killed
since the clashes erupted on Sunday. A total of three policemen
have also been killed so far.

The U.S. consulate in the nearby city of Dhahran closed on
Monday because of security concerns linked to the shootout, the
latest flare up in violence linked to supporters of al Qaeda
leader Osama bin Laden in the world’s top oil exporter.

Security sources did not give details about the identity of
the slain gunmen, but Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television said at
least one had been on a list of 36 most wanted fugitives in
Saudi Arabia, battling al Qaeda for more than two years.

Saudi television aired footage of the shootout on Monday,
showing a heavy exchange of fire that set off at least one
fire. Soldiers were shown firing from rooftops, one of them
using a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.

More than 90 foreign and Saudi civilians have been killed
in the al Qaeda violence aimed at toppling the pro-Western
royal family and evicting non-Muslims from the birthplace of
Islam.

Last month, Saudi security forces killed al Qaeda’s top
leader in the country, Saleh al-Awfi — one of a few fugitives
remaining on a list of 26 most wanted militants. In June,
officials issued a new list of 36 wanted suspects.