 Police fought running gun battles with Al-Qaeda militants in an eastern Saudi Arabian city in clashes that killed two extremists and a police officer, a Saudi official said.
| Two for one kill ratio is not good... |
The violence raged across Dammam, a city 400 kms northeast of the capital Riyadh, starting at about 6 pm on Sunday and continuing into the night, sending scared residents running in doors. An Interior Ministry statement said security forces were carrying out a security operation "against a number of elements affiliated to the 'deviant group,"' a term usually used in reference to Al-Qaeda's branch in this kingdom.
| That's as opposed to the group's controlling authority, also in the kingdom... |
Dammam's Emir Mohammed Street was the scene of the initial clashes, where police exchanged gun fire with several militants, killing one and severely wounding another, who later died in hospital.
State-run Saudi TV aired footage of what it said was the body of slain militant slumped on a street while wearing a traditional white Arab gown stained with blood.
| I hope that was from where they drove the stake through his heart... |
The official said that an unknown number of militants fled the scene of the initial fighting to the nearby commercial district of Hamra, which houses foreign companies.
| "Harrr! The coppers are closing in! Let's go get some furriners!" |
Police evacuated residents from several buildings in the area before scores of heavily armed security personnel surrounded a building sheltering the remaining militants.
| "Yer surrounded, Muggsy! Throw down yer guns and come out witcher hands up!" |
Clashes broke out again with militants firing at police from the building and one officer was killed, the official said.
"Casey! They got Casey!"
"Bring up the artillery!" |
|