Security officer and attacker killed in shooting at US consulate in Jeddah; Photo: File
Jeddah: A security officer was killed in a shooting at the gate of the US consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, while the attacker was also killed in retaliation.
According to the World News Agency, an armed man in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, shot at the security personnel after failing to enter the American consulate, as a result of which the Nepali security officer was killed on the spot.
The Makkah Region police spokesman told the media that the armed man had arrived in a car at the American Consulate building in Jeddah Governorate and got out of the car with a firearm in hand. The armed man tried to enter the consulate.
The assailant was also killed in the retaliatory fire of the security personnel, whose identification is in progress. Two officials have also received minor injuries in the attack, who were provided medical aid at a nearby hospital.
US and Saudi officials confirmed the shooting at the consulate and said that the investigation into the incident is ongoing. For which security agencies of both countries are working together.
It should be noted that the American Consulate in Jeddah has a holiday for America’s Independence Day, which is celebrated on July 4. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. It can also be an individual action of the attacker.
Earlier in 2004, 5 people armed with firearms and explosives attacked the consulate in Jeddah. A portion of the building was blown up and vandalized, killing 4 Saudi security personnel and 5 staff members.
In the retaliatory action of the Saudi army, 3 out of 5 attackers were killed on the spot. The remaining two were arrested while injured and sentenced in 2013. Al-Qaeda was blamed for the attack.
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