A gunman shot dead two guards and injured three others at a gate of the royal palace in Saudi Arabian city Jeddah on Saturday, Al Arabiya reported. Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz (pictured above) is currently on a visit to Russia.
The attack happened around 3.15 pm local time, an official from the Interior Ministry was quoted as saying. The shooter, identified as Mansour bin Hassan bin Ali al-Fahid al-Amiri, was a 28-year-old Saudi national.
He opened fire after driving up to one of the gates of the Al-Salam Palace in a car, and was killed by Royal Guard soldiers soon after, the official said. Al-Amiri also had a Kalashnikov gun and three Molotov bombs with him.
The Interior Ministry identified the two soldiers who were killed on Saturday as Agent Sergeant Hammad bin Shallah al-Mutairi and First Soldier Abdullah bin Faisal al-Subaie. Corporal Walid bin Ali Shami and First Soldiers Ahmad Saleh Al-Qarni and Abdullah Hindi Al-Subaie were injured.
Saudi Interior Ministry spokesperson Mansour al-Turki said that the guard post was located on a public street, and that an investigation is on to find out the shooter’s motives and if he has links with any terrorist organisation.
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