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08:32, 08-Oct-2017
Two guards killed in attack at Saudi palace gate
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A gunman on Saturday opened fire outside a Saudi royal palace in the city of Jeddah, killing two members of the Saudi Royal Guard and injuring three others, before being fatally shot by law enforcers.
A statement issued by the interior ministry identified the attacker as 28-year-old Saudi national Mansour al-Amri.
The attack took place outside the Peace Palace, an important decision-making venue in the kingdom where the royal family conducts official business in summer.
The spokesperson for the ministry Mansour al-Turki said the man, who was carrying a Kalashnikov machine gun and three Molotov cocktails, got out of a Hyundai car outside the western gate of the palace.
He then opened fire at the forces of the Royal Guard positioned in front of the gate.
The guards returned fire and shot the gunman dead on the spot.
The motives of the attack are still unknown.
Speaking to Dubai-based al-Arabiya television, the spokesman said Amri had no criminal record or any known link to extremist groups.
Security authorities are carrying out investigations, he said.
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