Saudi forces arrest 41 suspected militants
RIYADH: Security forces have arrested 41 suspected militants in a series of raids around Saudi Arabia since the killing of Al Qaeda’s top leader in the country less than 10 days ago, a security source said on Friday.
“Security forces managed to... prevent vile attacks that were imminent,” when they targeted militant hideouts in Riyadh, the holy city of Medina and the northern town of Arar on August 18, said an interior ministry statement.
A raid on a Riyadh hideout of the “deviant group” - official terminology for Al-Qaeda - targeted a group preparing to carry out “an imminent terrorist attack in the city,” said the statement read on state television.
Saudi Arabia has been fighting a wave of Al Qaeda inspired attacks over the past two years, which have so far killed 91 foreign nationals and Saudi civilians. The latest clash killed Al Qaeda’s top leader in Saudi Arabia, Saleh al-Awfi, in the holy city of Medina. Police arrested 13 suspects in raids the same day.
The source said security forces have since arrested an additional 23 militants in Medina, two in the town of Arar and one in the capital, Riyadh, bringing to 41 the number of arrests made since the clashes with Saudi forces in Medina and Riyadh. Awfi was one of the few fugitives remaining on a list of 26 most wanted militants. In June, officials listed another 36 most wanted men they were hunting. It was not clear whether any of those among the latest arrested was on that list. agencies |
