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: 成人第一页 | 成年人在线观看免费 | 欧美日韩亚洲v在线观看 | 8050网午夜一级毛片免费不卡 | 久久福利青草精品资源站免费 | 99热在线免费 | 久操免费在线视频 | 国产精品香蕉一区二区三区 | 真正免费一级毛片在线播放 | 国产亚洲人成网站在线观看不卡 | 九九re6精品视频在线观看 | 亚洲an日韩专区在线 | 午夜影院亚洲 | 深夜做爰性大片中文 | 国产成在线观看免费视频 | 日本欧美一区二区三区不卡视频 | 精品三级国产 | 亚洲b | jizjiz日本| 欧美高清一级 | 国产免费一级片 | 蝴蝶成人世界第八影院 | 免费永久观看美女视频网站网址 | 台湾久久 | 99久热在线精品视频播 | 看性过程三级视频在线观看 | 99re热这里只有精品视频 | 欧美一级毛片一 | 久久99精品久久久久久三级 | 成人国产精品999视频 | 亚洲国产精品久久卡一 | 亚洲羞羞视频 | 久久久高清免费视频 | 一级做a爰片久久毛片唾 | 国产a级精品特黄毛片 | 日韩三级视频在线 | 日韩精品特黄毛片免费看 | 欧美在线综合 | 日韩免费一区二区三区在线 | 色婷婷国产精品欧美毛片 | 高清毛片aaaaaaaaa片 |