Riyadh: Saudi authorities foiled a car bombing attempt in a shoot-out that killed two suspects on Friday, the interior ministry said, after a small bomb wounded a policeman elsewhere.
The Daesh group had previously claimed deadly shootings and bombings against security forces in the kingdom, where dozens were also killed in a wave of attacks by Al Qaida between 2003 and 2006.
Security forces foiled “a terrorist act” on Friday after closely monitoring two cars in the southwestern region of Aseer. One of the vehicles was carrying explosives, an interior ministry spokesman said in a statement.
Their drivers, aware that they were being followed, opened fire at security forces, prompting a car chase, the source said.
Security aircraft intervened and the suspects pulled over in a desert area as both sides traded fire. forcing the drivers to leave their cars and seek cover before the bombs in one car exploded, the spokesman added.
Both suspects were killed in the shoot-out that followed despite calls for them to surrender, the source said, adding that there were no casualties among the security forces.
Investigations are ongoing to identify the two men, the source said.
Friday’s announcement came a day after a small bomb exploded outside a highway patrol station in eastern Saudi Arabia, injuring a policeman, official media reported.
The late Thursday attack happened in the Al Ahsa region, the Saudi Press Agency said, citing a provincial police spokesman.
One member of the police force received “a minor injury” and five vehicles were damaged, the spokesman added.
“Authorities started criminal investigations,” he added.
