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Saudi forces kill 3 militants in overnight clash

Posted on: Tuesday, 6 September 2005, 01:49 CDT

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.

Source: REUTERS

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