Four heavily armed attackers were killed on Sunday in a "failed terrorist attack" on an interior ministry building in Saudi Arabia's Zulfi, north of Riyadh, reported Arab media.
A spokesperson from the Kingdom’s Presidency of State Security said that three government security personnel suffered minor injuries during the exchange of fire, Arab News said, quoting Saudi state news agency SPA.
According to SPA, the identities of the four gunmen are still being determined by government authorities.
The suspects, who were on board a car, tried to crash through the main entrance of the General Directorate of Investigation’s Center in Riyadh, but were intercepted by security to prevent the vehicle from gaining access into the compound, the publication added.
Two gunmen died during the initial exchange of fire with the security forces, while one was killed as he attempted to flee. The fourth attacker died as he tried to blow up an explosive belt, pan-Arab daily Asharq Al-Awsat reported.
There was no indication as to who the suspects were and no group has claimed responsibility for the attempted attack as yet, reported The National
The militant Islamic State (IS) group says it was behind an attack the previous day on a Saudi security building in the town of Zulfi in which all four gunmen were killed and three security officers were wounded.
The kingdom's state-run al-Ekhbariya news channel had reported that police foiled Sunday's attempted attack. Zulfi is about 250 kilometres north of the capital, Riyadh.
Videos circulating on social media show dead gunmen with machine guns and explosive devices.
The IS-linked Aamaq news agency released a video on Monday of the four alleged "martyrdom-seekers" behind the attack. It's unclear when the footage was filmed.
In the video, one man criticises the Saudi royal family and says the attack is to avenge Muslims imprisoned in the kingdom, Syria and Iraq.
