Dammam- A wanted person was fatally wounded during an operation by Saudi security forces in eastern Saudi Arabia, the Interior Ministry said on Sunday.
The man, killed during a raid on Saturday morning targeting wanted people in Awwamiyya village in Qatif, was identified as Walid Talal Ali al-Areed.
The interior ministry said that security forces came under fire while pursuing wanted men who had been hiding in houses vacated by inhabitants to pave the way for a development project intended to revamp the area.
“Security men came under heavy gunfire at the Masawara neighborhood from an unknown source, which required an appropriate response,” the statement said.
Ali was among a group of nine wanted suspects, the interior ministry said, adding that the derelict homes in Masawara had been used for planning “terrorist activities.”
The ministry said police had acted in the interest of citizens’ safety “and to protect development projects in Awwamiyya.”
The violence on Saturday was only the latest recently in Qatif.
For his part, Security Spokesman at the Ministry of Interior Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Masawara district was evacuated from citizens in order to start implementing the development project, yet there are people trying to obstruct the project and consider it a den for terrorists.
Turki explained that following the exchange of gunfire, Areed was injured and as a result, he was taken to a hospital where he later died.”
Turki said that security forces were relentless in pursuing all suspected criminals involved in promoting dissent in the Kingdom and jeopardizing the safety and security of citizens and residents.
He also praised the ongoing close coordination between citizens, residents and security authorities in Qatif in order to identify and overcome those who wish to create instability.
On Friday, SPA reported that security forces killed Mustafa Ali Abdullah al-Madad, who was wanted by security forces for “a number of terror crimes against citizens and security personnel” in Qatif.