久久亚洲国产成人影院-久久亚洲国产的中文-久久亚洲国产高清-久久亚洲国产精品-亚洲图片偷拍自拍-亚洲图色视频

  Home>News Center>World
         
 

Saudis attack militants holding 50 hostages
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-05-30 09:41

Saudi forces on Sunday launched an attack on suspected al Qaeda militants holed up with 50 foreign hostages at a housing compound in the eastern oil city of Khobar, security sources said.

The assault came several hours after the militants killed at least nine Saudis and seven foreigners, including Westerners, in the second assault in a month on the oil industry of the world's largest crude exporter.

Witnesses heard shots and a single explosion as the gunmen, armed with grenades and machineguns, clashed with the Saudis, including special forces units. Ambulances and fire engines stood ready at the site and the wail of sirens filled the air.

"The forces have begun the raid on the militants," one security source said. It was not clear whether the raid was a full-scale attack or was aimed at wearing down the militants.

Security officials at the scene said the forces were likely to attack the militants in several stages.

The Saudis had earlier tried to storm the building where the hostages are but stopped after realizing it was booby-trapped.

The militant assault was likely to rattle oil markets and dent confidence in the kingdom's grip on security as it battles militants loyal to Saudi-born al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Security forces had surrounded the building in the luxury Oasis compound after militants on Saturday sprayed with gunfire complexes housing Western oil firms and expatriates in Khobar.

The hostages include a large number of Westerners, including Americans, security sources said. Militants were also holding Christian Arabs. A compound employee said the gunmen had asked residents their religion and then allowed Muslims to leave.

An American, a Briton, an Egyptian child, two Filipinos, an Indian and a Pakistani were killed in the initial attack, along with two Saudis and seven security men, security sources said.

Witnesses said militants tied the body of the Briton, one of three employees of oil investment firm Apicorp killed, to a car and dragged it through the street before dumping it by a bridge.

A purported al Qaeda statement claimed the attack, the third on foreigners in less than a month in the birthplace of Islam.

OIL MARKET JITTERS

Oil markets have been on edge over the possibility of a militant strike disrupting oil supplies, and the situation in Saudi Arabia has already helped push prices to $40 a barrel.

"This is close to the nerve center of the Saudi oil industry, (state oil firm) Aramco headquarters in Dhahran," said Yasser Elguindi, an analyst with Medley Global Advisers in New York. "It could have a devastating impact on the oil market."

Earlier this month the body of an American was dragged through the streets when militants killed five foreigners in an attack on a petrochemical site in the Red Sea town of Yanbu.

Washington urged its citizens to leave the kingdom, a key U.S. ally that has been battling al Qaeda militants for a year.

The kingdom's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Abdullah, vowed to crush militants who he said were harming the economy.

Earlier the attackers opened fire at Al-Khobar Petroleum Center, believed to house offices of Western oil firms.

Employees of Shell, Honeywell and General Electric lived in one of the compounds. The Oasis residence has housed executives from leading oil firms Royal Dutch/Shell, Total and LUKOIL .

The attack came two days after the top al Qaeda leader in the kingdom, Abdulaziz al-Muqrin, issued plans for urban guerrilla warfare designed to topple the royal family.

Al Qaeda has vowed to destabilize the country. In 1996, the group chose Khobar to mount one of its first major attacks, killing 19 U.S. soldiers at a compound.

 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

Hu,Bush hold phone talks

 

   
 

English tests trigger gold rush in China

 

   
 

More funds to flow into agriculture technology

 

   
 

China joins nuclear group

 

   
 

China, Malaysia consolidate relations

 

   
 

New rules to ensure lab safety

 

   
  Saudis attack militants holding 50 hostages
   
  Four U.S. soldiers killed in troubled Afghan south
   
  Israeli missiles kill senior Hamas man, two others
   
  AP: Military intelligence accused of abuse
   
  Pakistan nuke-capable missile test
   
  Media attack: Another body found in Iraq
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  News Talk  
  AMERICA, I think you are being FRAMED by your own press and media.  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 美女视频大全视频a免费九 美女视频大全网站免费 | 国内精品久久久久久野外 | 国产a精品三级 | 美女张开双腿让男人桶视频免费 | 亚洲精品成人网 | 国产一二三区精品 | 亚洲毛片在线 | 国产一区二区三区高清 | 国产成人久久一区二区三区 | 亚洲精品成人 | 天干夜天天夜天干天ww | 欧美91精品久久久久网免费 | 亚洲精品国产精品国自产 | 久久久久久一级毛片免费无遮挡 | 成人亚州 | 九九视频在线免费观看 | 91欧美一区二区三区综合在线 | 久久久精品久久视频只有精品 | 久久久99视频 | 手机看片久久青草福利盒子 | 国产精品久久久久久久网站 | 精品视频 九九九 | 京野结衣免费一区二区 | 国产精品久久久久三级 | 中文字幕在线播 | 日韩欧美不卡在线 | 美女张开腿让男生桶出水 | 一级毛片真人免费播放视频 | 一级毛片免费在线观看网站 | 久草视频免费在线观看 | 七七国产福利在线二区 | 亚洲天堂最新网址 | 精品视频一区二区三三区四区 | 精品久久久久国产 | 欧美精品片在线观看网站 | 亚洲国产精品免费 | 久久久久琪琪去精品色村长 | 久久精品国产在爱久久 | 日本一级特黄高清ab片 | 国产一区二区三区日韩 | 亚洲国产成人久久 |