The Saudi Ministry of Interior revealed yesterday that an operation carried out by security forces in the Makkah region resulted in two terrorists being killed and two others blowing themselves up. It has become clear that the four terrorists were part of a cell involved in the bombing of five mosques in eastern and southern Arabia.

Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman Major General Mansour Al-Turki explained that the security services swooped on and besieged the terrorist cell’s hideout which was located in Wadi Noman between the holy city of Makkah and the city of Taif in the Makkah province. This led to two terrorists being killed and two others blowing themselves up with suicide belts. After searching the cell’s hideout, special security forces defused 15 explosive devices that were found there, and seized four guns, two pistols, safes and a wide range of ammunition.

Informed sources that Asharq Al-Awsat spoke to suggested that previous operations carried out by security forces revealed the existence of a cluster of cells that ISIS is preparing. This is contrary to the “lone wolves” who have previously operated in the region.

Meanwhile, the Makkah Region Police announced the “martyrdom” of one of its employees who used to work at the Al-Qaree police station in the province of Taif. Corporal Khalaf bin Lafi Al-Harithi was killed whilst he was working at the police station on Thursday night, and police said that he was shot at by an unknown source which resulted in his “martyrdom”. Police did not disclose whether the murder was a criminal act or a terrorist one that targeted security officials after they swooped on the terrorist cell hideout in Wadi Noman.