List of militant incidents in Saudi Arabia
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1960s

The most serious violence to take place was a series of bomb blasts in
Riyadh Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the R ...
in late 1966 and early 1967. The bombings, which caused no known casualties, were claimed by the North Yemen-based Nasserite organisation Union of the People of the Arabian Peninsula ttihad sha'b al-jazira al-'arabiyya(UPAP). After the attacks, Saudi authorities arrested several hundred
Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
is, executed 17 of them and expelled the rest.


1979

20 November–4 December (See
Grand Mosque Seizure The Grand Mosque seizure lasted from 20 November 1979 to 4 December 1979, when extremist militants in Saudi Arabia calling for the overthrow of the House of Saud besieged and took over Masjid al-Haram, the holiest Islamic site, in the city of M ...
) – number of militants took over the
Masjid al-Haram , native_name_lang = ar , religious_affiliation = Islam , image = Al-Haram mosque - Flickr - Al Jazeera English.jpg , image_upright = 1.25 , caption = Aerial view of the Great Mosque of Mecca , map ...
in Mecca to protest the House of Saud's policies of
Westernization Westernization (or Westernisation), also Europeanisation or occidentalization (from the ''Occident''), is a process whereby societies come under or adopt Western culture in areas such as industry, technology, science, education, politics, economi ...
. The militants were well organized and armed and were initially able to repel attempts by the Saudi National Guard to storm the complex. The Saudis eventually brought in French and
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
i
commando Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin">40_Commando.html" ;"title="Royal Marines from 40 Commando">Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin area of Afghanistan are pictured A commando is a combatant, or operativ ...
s to help their forces retake the Mosque. Non-Muslim commandos underwent nominal conversion to
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
before being allowed into the Mosque. Eventually the Mosque was retaken and the 63 or 67 surviving male militants were executed. The number of people killed in the siege and the total number of militants involved are disputed. Official sources put the death toll at 255, but others suggest that it was higher.
Ruhollah Khomeini Ruhollah Khomeini, Ayatollah Khomeini, Imam Khomeini ( , ; ; 17 May 1900 – 3 June 1989) was an Iranian political and religious leader who served as the first supreme leader of Iran from 1979 until his death in 1989. He was the founder of ...
addressed on Radio regarding the seizure of the Mosque on 21 November.


1988

30 September – four
Shi'ite Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most n ...
men are
beheaded Decapitation or beheading is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and most other animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood, while all other organs are deprived of the ...
for blowing up fuel storage tanks at the Saudi Petrochemical Company (SADAF) facility in
Jubail Jubail ( ar, الجبيل, ''Al Jubayl'') is a city in the Eastern province on the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia, with a total population of 684,531 as of 2021. It is home to the largest industrial city in the world. It is also home to th ...
. They had entered the plant by cutting a hole in the perimeter fence. One tank happened to be empty, but another was full and burned for several days. Eventually the fire was extinguished when a
firefighting Firefighting is the act of extinguishing or preventing the spread of unwanted fires from threatening human lives and destroying property and the environment. A person who engages in firefighting is known as a firefighter. Firefighters typically ...
team literally plugged the hole in the tank.


1995

1 November – a
car bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roughly divided ...
killed five US citizens and two Indians at the offices of the Saudi National Guard in
Riyadh Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the R ...
.


1996

25 June (See
Khobar Towers bombing The Khobar Towers bombing was a terrorist attack on part of a housing complex in the city of Khobar, Saudi Arabia, near the national oil company ( Saudi Aramco) headquarters of Dhahran and nearby King Abdulaziz Air Base on 25 June 1996. At that tim ...
) – the
Khobar Towers Khobar ( ar, ٱلْخُبَر, translit=al-Khobar) is a city and governorate in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, situated on the coast of the Persian Gulf. With a population of 457,748 as of 2017, Khobar is part of the 'Tripl ...
apartment complex in
Khobar Khobar ( ar, ٱلْخُبَر, translit=al-Khobar) is a city and governorate in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, situated on the coast of the Persian Gulf. With a population of 457,748 as of 2017, Khobar is part of the 'Triple ...
, near
Dhahran Dhahran ( ar, الظهران, ''Al-Dhahran'') is a city located in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. With a total population of 240,742 as of 2021, it is a major administrative center for the Saudi oil industry. Together with the nearby cit ...
, is hit by a large
truck bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roughly divided ...
. Nineteen US airmen are killed and 372 wounded by the blast.
William Perry William Perry may refer to: Business * William Perry (Queensland businessman) (1835–1891), businessman and politician in Queensland, Australia * William H. Perry (businessman) (1832–1906), American businessman and entrepreneur Politics and ...
, who was the
United States Secretary of Defense The United States secretary of defense (SecDef) is the head of the United States Department of Defense, the executive department of the U.S. Armed Forces, and is a high ranking member of the federal cabinet. DoDD 5100.1: Enclosure 2: a The s ...
at the time that this bombing happened, said in an interview in June 2007 that "he now believes al-Qaida rather than Iran was behind a 1996 truck bombing at an American military base."


2002

20 June A British national was killed when a bomb placed under his car detonated in Al Nakheel. 29 September A German national was killed by a
car bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roughly divided ...
in central
Riyadh Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the R ...
.


2001

In late 2001, a Sudanese man with links to
Al-Qaeda Al-Qaeda (; , ) is an Islamic extremism, Islamic extremist organization composed of Salafist jihadists. Its members are mostly composed of Arab, Arabs, but also include other peoples. Al-Qaeda has mounted attacks on civilian and military ta ...
fired an SA-7 at an American
F-15 Eagle The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas's ...
fighter taking off from
Prince Sultan Air Base Prince Sultan Air Base ( ar, قاعدة الأمير سلطان الجوية) (PSAB) is a military air base located in the closed-city of Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia. History There was formerly a large United States presence there during Opera ...
in Saudi Arabia. The missile missed the target and was not detected by the pilot or anyone at the base. Saudi police found the empty launcher in the desert in May 2002, and a suspect was arrested in
Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
a month later. He led police to a cache in the desert where a second missile was buried.


2003

20 February An American employee of
BAE Systems BAE Systems plc (BAE) is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company based in London, England. It is the largest defence contractor in Europe, and ranked the seventh-largest in the world based on applicable 2021 revenues. ...
was shot to death in his car in
Riyadh Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the R ...
. 12 May (See
Riyadh Compound Bombings Two major bombings took place in residential compounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2003. On 12 May 2003, 39 people were killed, and over 160 wounded when bombs went off at three compounds in Riyadh—Dorrat Al Jadawel, Al Hamra Oasis Village, an ...
) 35 are killed and over 200 wounded during a
suicide attack A suicide attack is any violent Strike (attack), attack, usually entailing the attacker detonating an explosive, where the attacker has suicide, accepted their own death as a direct result of the attacking method used. Suicide attacks have oc ...
on the Vinnell Compound in
Riyadh Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the R ...
. Western sources report that National Guard
collusion Collusion is a deceitful agreement or secret cooperation between two or more parties to limit open competition by deceiving, misleading or defrauding others of their legal right. Collusion is not always considered illegal. It can be used to att ...
was involved and there are rumors of large numbers of Western expats leaving the country. 31 May 2 police officers and a militant are killed. 14 June Security forces raided a building in the Khalidiya neighborhood of
Makkah Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow va ...
. Two Saudi police officers and five suspects were killed in a shootout. Twelve suspects were arrested including two from Chad and one Egyptian. 28 July Six militants – four Saudis and two Chadians – and two police officers were killed in a police raid on a farm outside of
Al-Qasim The Qassim Province ( ar, منطقة القصيم ' , Najdi Arabic: ), also known as the Qassim Region, is one of the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia The Provinces of Saudi Arabia, also known as Regions, and officially the Emirates of the Provin ...
. The four Saudis were identified as Ahmad Al-Dakheel, Kareem Olayyan Al-Ramthan Al-Harbi, Saud Aamir Suleiman Al-Qurashi, and Muhammad Ghazi Saleem Al-Harbi. The Chadians were Isa Kamal Yousuf Khater and Isa Saleh Ali Ahmed. Another Saudi wanted person, identified as Ibrahim ibn Abdullah Khalaf Al-Harbi, was arrested after he being injured. 23 September Three militants and a police officer are killed in a gunfight at a Riyadh hospital. 20 October Police raid hideout in Riyadh and capture a large supply of weapons. 3 November Police surround militant hideout in Riyadh and kill two. 6 November Two militants surrounded by the police in Riyadh blow themselves up. 8 November A truck bomb explodes at an Arab housing compound in Riyadh, killing 17 and injuring 120. 8 December An unnamed militant is killed at a Riyadh gas station.


2004

19 January Shootout in Al-Nassim District (Riyadh) 29 January One unnamed gunman captured and five police officers killed in a shootout in the Al-Nassim District of Riyadh. April United States Embassy issues a travel advisory for the Kingdom and urges all US citizens to leave. 5 April An unnamed militant is reported killed in a
car chase A car chase or vehicle pursuit is the vehicular overland chase of one party by another, involving at least one automobile or other wheeled motor vehicle in pursuit, commonly hot pursuit of suspects by law enforcement. The rise of the automotive ...
in Riyadh. 12 April A police officer and one militant are killed in a shootout in Riyadh. Rakan ibn Moshen Al-Seikhan and Nasser ibn Rashid Al-Rashid are wounded and escape. Both are reported dead on 4 July. 13 April Four police officers are killed in two attacks by militants. Several car bombs are found and defused. 15 April The United States orders all governmental dependents and nonessential personnel out of the kingdom as a security measure. 21 April A suicide bomber detonates a car bomb in Riyadh at the gates of a building used as the headquarters of the traffic police and emergency services. Five people die and 148 are injured. 22 April Three unnamed militants are killed by police in Jeddah in an incident in the Al-Fayha district. 1 May (See: Black Saturday (2004)) Seven people (two US citizens, two
Britons British people or Britons, also known colloquially as Brits, are the citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown dependencies.: British nationality law governs mod ...
, an
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
n, a
Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
, and a Saudi) are killed in a rampage at the premises of a
petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crud ...
company in
Yanbu Yanbu ( ar, ينبع, lit=Spring, translit=Yanbu'), also known simply as Yambu or Yenbo, is a city in the Al Madinah Province of western Saudi Arabia. It is approximately 300 kilometers northwest of Jeddah (at ). The population is 222,360 (2 ...
by three brothers. All the attackers, dressed in military uniforms, are killed. 22 May
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
chef Hermann Dengl is shot and killed at Jarir Bookstore in Riyadh. 29 May (See:
29 May 2004 Al-Khobar massacres On 29 May 2004, a Saturday, four men armed with guns and bombs attacked two oil industry installations and a residential compound, in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia—the hub of the Saudi oil industry. Over approximately 25 hours, the gunmen, describin ...
) 22 are killed during an attack on the Oasis Compound in Al-Khobar. After a siege, the gunmen escape. 19 of those killed are foreigners. 6 June
Simon Cumbers Simon Cumbers (23 January 1968 – 6 June 2004), an Irish cameraman for the BBC News in the United Kingdom, was shot by a gunman in a terrorist attack and died while reporting in As-Suwaidi, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. His colleague Frank Gardner, ...
, an
Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
cameraman for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
, is killed and the reporter Frank Gardner very severely wounded by gunshots to his head in Riyadh. 8 June Robert Jacobs, a US citizen working for Vinnel Corp., is killed at his villa in Riyadh. 13 June One US expatriate Kenneth Scroggs is killed and another Paul Johnson working for
Lockheed Martin The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American aerospace, arms, defense, information security, and technology corporation with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It ...
is kidnapped at a fake police checkpoint in Riyadh. A car bomb is also discovered on this date. 18 June US citizen Paul Johnson is beheaded in Riyadh. His body is found some time later. A few hours later security services kill five militants ( Abdel Aziz al-Muqrin, Turki Al-Muteri, Ibrahim Al-Durayhim and two others). A dozen are reported captured. 23 June Saudi government offers a thirty-day limited
amnesty Amnesty (from the Ancient Greek ἀμνηστία, ''amnestia'', "forgetfulness, passing over") is defined as "A pardon extended by the government to a group or class of people, usually for a political offense; the act of a sovereign power offici ...
to "terrorists". 1 July Abdullah ibn Ahmed Al-Rashoud is killed in shootout east of the capital. Bandar Al-Dakheel escapes. Two policemen (Bandar Al-Qahtani and Humoud Abdullah Al-Harbi) are killed. 4 July The bodies of Moshen Al-Seikhan and Nasser ibn Rashid Al-Rashid are discovered. One had had his leg crudely amputated. Both seem to have been wounded in fights with the security services and died later. 13 July Khaled al-Harbi, who is listed on the government's most-wanted list, surrenders in Iran, is flown to Saudi Arabia. 14 July Ibrahim al-Harb surrenders himself in
Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
. 20 July Shootout in Riyadh. Eisa ibn Saad Al-Awshan (number 13 on the list of the 26 most-wanted militants) is killed.
Saleh al-Oufi Saleh al-Oufi or Saleh Muhammad 'Awadullah al-'Alawi al-'Oufi ( ar, صالح محمد عوض الله العلوي العوفي) (died 2005), was a member of al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia and became the leader of that group when Abdel Aziz al-Muqrin was ...
(#4), the head of
Al Qaeda Al-Qaeda (; , ) is an Islamic extremist organization composed of Salafist jihadists. Its members are mostly composed of Arabs, but also include other peoples. Al-Qaeda has mounted attacks on civilian and military targets in various countr ...
in the kingdom escapes from the raid on the compound where he had been living with his extended family. 23 July Amnesty offer expires. Six wanted people had turned themselves in. 4 August Tony Christopher, an Irish expatriate, is shot and killed at his desk in Riyadh. 5 August
Faris al-Zahrani Faris bin Ahmed bin Jam'an bin Ali Aal Shuwayl al-Hassani al-Zahrani al-Azdi (1977 – ; ar, فارس بن أحمد بن جمعان بن علي آل شويل الحسني الزهراني الأزدي) was a terrorist who was on Saudi Arabia's l ...
(#11 on the government's list of most-wanted) is captured in
Abha Abha ( ar, أَبْهَا, ') is the capital of 'Asir Region in Saudi Arabia, with a population of 1,093,705 as of 2021. It is situated above sea level in the fertile Asir Mountains of south-western Saudi Arabia, near Asir National Park. Abha' ...
without a fight. 30 August An unnamed
US government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a feder ...
employee is shot at while leaving a bank in
Jeddah Jeddah ( ), also spelled Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; ar, , Jidda, ), is a city in the Hejaz region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the country's commercial center. Established in the 6th century BC as a fishing village, Jeddah's pro ...
. No injuries. 11 September Two small bombs go off in Jeddah near the Saudi British and Saudi American Banks. Nobody is injured. 26 September
Laurent Barbot Laurent may refer to: *Laurent (name), a French masculine given name and a surname **Saint Laurence (aka: Saint ''Laurent''), the martyr Laurent **Pierre Alphonse Laurent, mathematician **Joseph Jean Pierre Laurent, amateur astronomer, discoverer ...
, a French employee of a defense electronics firm, is shot dead in his car in Jeddah. Five
Chad Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...
ians confessed to the crime in June 2005. 4 November Unnamed 'deviant' is arrested in a shoot-out at an Internet café in
Buraidah Buraidah ( ar, بريدة ') is the capital and largest city of Al-Qassim Region in north-central Saudi Arabia in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula. Buraydah lies equidistant from the Red Sea to the west and Persian Gulf to the east. Its known fo ...
, Qasim region. Two policemen are injured. 9 November Shootout in Jeddah. On Al-Amal Al-Saleh Street, police capture four unnamed militants and seize eight AKs and hundreds of locally-made bombs. No deaths are reported. 10 November Government announces the interception of 44,000 rounds of ammunition being smuggled in from
Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
. One Saudi waiting for the shipment is arrested. 13 November Five unnamed militants arrested in Riyadh and Zulfi. A number of
machine guns A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) a ...
and other weapons are captured. Nobody is hurt in the gunfight. 17 November A police officer (Private Fahd Al-Olayan) is killed and eight are injured in a shootout in
Unayzah Unaizah ( ar, عنيزة ) or officially The Governorate of Unaizah (also spelled Onaizah, Onizah, or Unayzah; ar, محافظة عنيزة ) is a Saudi Arabian city in the Al Qassim Province. It lies south of the province capital Buraydah and n ...
, Qassim. Five persons of interest are detained. Computers,
pipe bomb A pipe bomb is an improvised explosive device which uses a tightly sealed section of pipe (material), pipe filled with an explosive material. The containment provided by the pipe means that simple Explosive material#Low explosives, low explosi ...
s and SR38,000 are seized. 6 December Invasion of U.S. Consulate in Jeddah: Five employees are killed as five Al-Qaeda militants attack outbuildings and the chancery building before Saudi forces retake the property. Four Saudi special forces were wounded, four hostages were killed and a further 10 wounded in the crossfire. 16 December A call for kingdom-wide anti-government demonstrations by a
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
-based group fails. 29 December Two suicide car bombs explode in Riyadh. One outside the Interior Ministry Complex, the other near the Special Emergency Force training center. A passerby is killed and some people are wounded. In a resulting gun battle, seven suspected militants are killed. Two (Sultan Al-Otabi and Faisal Al-Dakheel) were on the Kingdom's list of 26 Most Wanted.


2005

13 March Saudi security forces in Jeddah conduct an early-morning raid that kills one (Saed al-Youbi) labeled as a terrorist. One civilian was also killed; five policemen were wounded. Three other suspects were arrested. One was thought to be Ibrahim al-Youbi. 3 April through 5 April Saudi security forces launch the major Ar Rass raids against a three-house compound, 320 kilometers south of the capital. Fifteen terrorists, including Saleh Al-Aufi, reportedly the
Al-Qaeda Al-Qaeda (; , ) is an Islamic extremism, Islamic extremist organization composed of Salafist jihadists. Its members are mostly composed of Arab, Arabs, but also include other peoples. Al-Qaeda has mounted attacks on civilian and military ta ...
leader for Saudi Arabia were killed along with Talib Saud Al-Talib, also on the list of the 26 most-wanted piersons. The gunfight lasted for most of two days and included the use of
rocket-propelled grenade A rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) is a shoulder-fired missile weapon that launches rockets equipped with an explosive warhead. Most RPGs can be carried by an individual soldier, and are frequently used as anti-tank weapons. These warheads are a ...
s, machine guns and other heavy weapons. Students at a nearby girls' school were in danger from the fire and were evacuated by police who broke down the rear wall to their building."Battle of Al-Ras" by Sabria S. Jawhar and Rob L. Wagner, Saudi Gazette, 12 April 2005
Sites.google.com (12 May 2003). Retrieved on 29 November 2011. 7 April Using information from the previous raid, security services killed Abdul Rahman Al-Yaziji, number four on the most-wanted list in a firefight in the Southern Industrial District of Riyadh. The newspapers report that only three men on the list of the 26 most-wanted are still at liberty. They are Saleh Al-Aufi, Talib Al-Talib and
Abdullah Abdullah may refer to: * Abdullah (name), a list of people with the given name or surname * Abdullah, Kargı, Turkey, a village * ''Abdullah'' (film), a 1980 Bollywood film directed by Sanjay Khan * '' Abdullah: The Final Witness'', a 2015 Pakis ...
. 22 April A group of four insurgents dressed as women attempt to bluff their way past a security checkpoint near the holy city of
Makkah Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow va ...
. Women are forbidden to drive in Saudi Arabia. The police gave chase as the group fled in their car. They were surrounded in a hilly area near Umm Al-Joud southeast of the city. Two militants and two security officers were killed in the resulting shootout, an unknown number were wounded. The battle took place as the Western Region of Saudi Arabia was conducting its first-ever elections for local government councils. 9 May Abdul Aziz ibn Rasheed Al-Inazi is arrested after a shoot-out in Riyadh. His is described in the press as a leader of the Religious Committee of the insurgency. 18 May The United States Embassy issues a message that revokes the travel advisory for Saudi Arabia that had been in effect for a year. 16 June Security services announce the arrest in Riyadh of five Chadians who were described as 'members of a deviant group.' The detainees, whose names were not given confessed to the murder of Laurent Barbot in September 2004 as well as a number of armed robberies. 19 June Lt Colonel Mubarak Al-Sawat, a senior police commander in
Makkah Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow va ...
, was killed outside his home as he got in his car on his way to work. Newspapers report the killing may have been a botched
kidnapping In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the p ...
attempt. 21 June The killers of Lt Colonel Mubarak Al-Sawat are killed by security forces after a long fire-fight on the Old Makkah Road in the Holy City. Mansour Al-Thubaity and Kamal Foudah, both Saudi nationals, were fired on while fleeing police in a car, took another car and finally were killed while hiding in a building in a residential area. Three policemen were injured, one of them seriously. 24 June An internet site linked to
Al-Qaeda in Iraq Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI; ar, القاعدة في العراق, al-Qā'idah fī al-ʿIrāq) or Al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia ( ar, القاعدة في بلاد الرافدين, al-Qā'idah fī Bilād ar-Rāfidayn), officially known as ''Tanzim Qaidat a ...
reports that Abdullah, one of the few persons on the list of 26 Saudis most wanted has been killed by a US bomb. If true, this would leave only two persons ( Saleh Al-Aufi, the alleged leader of Al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia, and Taleb Al-Taleb) on that list unaccounted for. 29 June The security services issues two new lists of wanted persons. List A includes 15 names of persons suspected of terrorist affiliations and who are thought to be in the Kingdom. List B is of 21 names of persons suspected of terrorist affiliation, who are thought to be outside the Kingdom. List A :(1) Younus Mohamed Al-Hiyari, 36, Moroccan. Killed 3 July 2005. :(2) Fahd Farraj Al-Juwair, 35, Saudi. :(3) Zaid Saad Al-Samary, 31, Saudi. :(4)
Abdul Rahman Saleh Al-Miteb Abdul (also transliterated as Abdal, Abdel, Abdil, Abdol, Abdool, or Abdoul; ar, عبد ال, ) is the most frequent transliteration of the combination of the Arabic word '' Abd'' (, meaning "Servant") and the definite prefix '' al / el'' (, mea ...
, 26, Saudi. (See entry for 28 December 2005) :(5) Saleh Mansour Al-Harbi, 22, Saudi. :(6) Sultan Saleh Al-Hasry, 26, Saudi. :(7) Mohamed Abdul Rahman Al-Suwailemi, 23, Saudi. :(8) Mohamed Saleh Al-Ghaith, 23, Saudi. :(9) Abdullah Abdul Aziz Al-Tuwaijeri, 21, Saudi. :(10) Mohamed Saeed Al-Amry, 25, Saudi. Captured 25 July 2005 :(11) Ibrahim Abdullah Al-Motair, 21, Saudi. :(12) Walid Mutlaq Al-Radadi, 21, Saudi. :(13) Naif Farhan Al-Shammary, 24, Saudi. :(14) Majed Hamid Al-Hasry, 29, Saudi. :(15) Abdullah Muhaya Al-Shammary, 24, Saudi List B :(1) Noor Mohamed Moussa, 21, Chadian. :(2) Manour Mohamed Yousef, 24, Chadian. :(3) Othman Mohamed Kourani, 23, Chadian. :(4) Mohsen Ayed Al-Fadhli, 25,
Kuwait Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
i. :(5) Abdullah Walad Mohamed Sayyed, 37,
Mauritania Mauritania (; ar, موريتانيا, ', french: Mauritanie; Berber: ''Agawej'' or ''Cengit''; Pulaar: ''Moritani''; Wolof: ''Gànnaar''; Soninke:), officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania ( ar, الجمهورية الإسلامية ...
n. :(6) Zaid Hassan Humaid, 34, Yemeni. :(7) Fahd Saleh Al-Mahyani, 24, Saudi. :(8) Adnan Abdullah Al-Sharief, 28, Saudi. :(9) Marzouq Faisal Al-Otaibi, 32, Saudi. :(10) Adel Abdullateef Al-Sanie, 27, Saudi. :(11) Mohamed Abdul Rahman Al-Dhait, 21, Saudi. :(12) Sultan Sunaitan Al-Dhait, 24, Saudi. :(13) Saleh Saeed Al-Ghamdi, 40, Saudi. :(14) Faiz Ibrahim Ayub, 30, Saudi. (See entry for 1 July 2005) :(15) Khaled Mohamed Al-Harbi, 29, Saudi. :(16) Mohamed Othman Al-Zahrani, 44, Saudi. :(17) Abdullah Mohamed Al-Rumayan, 27, Saudi. :(18) Mohamed Saleh Al-Rashoudi, 24, Saudi. :(19) Saad Mohamed Al-Shahry, 31, Saudi. :(20) Ali Matir Al-Osaimy, 23, Saudi. :(21) Faris Abdullah Al-Dhahiry, 22, Saudi. (See entry for 1 July 2005) 1 July Newspapers report that Faiz Ibrahim Ayub (name 14 on list B) turned himself to a Saudi embassy, perhaps in Beirut. The government denies this. The family of Faris Abdullah Al-Dhahiry (Name 22 on list B) claim he had been killed in Iraq in November 2004. 3 July Younus Mohamed Al-Hiyari (The first name on List A) is killed in a shoot-out with police in eastern Riyadh. Six police officers were injured in the clash which included the use of homemade bombs by the militants. Three men were arrested, but their names were not immediately released. 19 July Saudi Security forces capture a weapons cache in Al-Kharj south of Riyadh. The store included 1,900 kg of fertilizer, 125 kg of ammonium nitrate, aluminum powder, potassium nitrate and other chemicals used by suspected Al-Qaeda militants to make bombs. 20 July The US Embassy warns US citizens in Saudi Arabia to lower their profile and be on alert due to intelligence indicating preparations were being made for a terrorist attack. 25 July Mohamed Saeed Al-Amry (number ten on List A) is captured in Madinah along with two unnamed others. He was carrying an explosive device when he was captured. The US Embassy restricts the travel of US military personnel in the Kingdom to home and office only in light of intelligence indicating planning for a militant strike. 8 August United States, United Kingdom, Australian and New Zealand embassies and consulates close for two days in response to intelligence. Reuters reports the British government believe a militant attack to be in the final stages of preparation. Saudi security forces increase activity across the kingdom with additional checkpoints presence. Military facilities increase security also. No militant activity or arrests are reported in the press. 18 August Saudi Security Forces conducted six raids around the kingdom killing four and capturing an unknown number of fighters. During one of these actions,
Saleh al-Oufi Saleh al-Oufi or Saleh Muhammad 'Awadullah al-'Alawi al-'Oufi ( ar, صالح محمد عوض الله العلوي العوفي) (died 2005), was a member of al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia and became the leader of that group when Abdel Aziz al-Muqrin was ...
is reportedly killed in Madinah. He was the fourth name on the original list of 26 most-wanted persons and has been described as the Al Qaeda chief in the kingdom. He had narrowly escaped capture last year. His death leaves on one person on that list unaccounted for. Newspapers also reported that Farraj Al-Juwait was killed by police near exit five on the Ring Road in Riyadh. Reports mistakenly indicate that this name was on one of the recent lists of most-wanted militants. 3 December Seventeen unnamed "terror suspect"s are arrested in a series of raids in Riyadh, Al-Kharj and Majmaa. The security services also claimed to have captured an undisclosed amount of explosives and weaponry. 28 December In separate incidents, Saudi security forces killed two wanted militants in Al-Qassim Province, Qassim.
Abdul Rahman Saleh Al-Miteb Abdul (also transliterated as Abdal, Abdel, Abdil, Abdol, Abdool, or Abdoul; ar, عبد ال, ) is the most frequent transliteration of the combination of the Arabic word '' Abd'' (, meaning "Servant") and the definite prefix '' al / el'' (, mea ...
, (#4 on List A) was killed in Um Khashba after a routine traffic stop led to his killing two highway patrolmen. This set off a running gunfight that killed three more police officers. He was killed by gunfire, his body was holding an automatic weapon and a hand grenade. Abdul Rahman Al-Suwailemi died in custody from his wounds after being captured elsewhere in the region. He was described as a computer expert who managed insurgent websites.


2006

24 February Saudi security forces have thwarted an attempted suicide attack at an oil processing facility in eastern Saudi Arabia, Saudi security sources told CNN. Two pick-up trucks carrying two would-be bombers tried to enter the side gate to the Abqaiq plant in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, Eastern Province, the largest oil processing facilities in the world (more than 60% of Saudi production), but the attackers detonated their explosives after security guards fired on them, according to statements from Saudi's interior and oil ministries. According to Saudi sources, the plant was not damaged and only minor damage to one small (1.5 inch) pipeline was caused by splinters, along with serious injuries among security guards and minor injuries among a few Aramco plant workers. The dead suspects were later named as Muhammed Al-Gaith and Abdullah Al-Tuwaijri. Two members of the security forces were also killed in the fight. 27 February In a series of predawn raids sparked by the attack on Abqaiq, Saudi security forces killed five unnamed militants (in Al-Yarmouk) and captured another (in Al-Rawabi). In addition, three people were killed by the police at a vehicle checkpoint. Initial reports indicate that the checkpoint incident was a mistake, as those killed were Filipino guest workers. 26 October Security services announce the arrest of 44 Saudi nationals in Riyadh, Al-Qassim and Hail. 2 December Security services announce the arrest of 136 Al-Qaeda suspects, including 115 Saudi nationals. Calling the arrests "preemptive," they claim that at least one cell of militants were on the verge of making a suicide attack in the Kingdom.


2007

26 February Three French nationals, including a teenager, murdered during a desert trip near the ancient city Madain Saleh.


2008

On 17 November 2008, Somali pirates captured the Saudi owned oil tanker MV Sirius Star with 25 crew members on board. The tanker was later released after a ransom of £2 million was paid. All crew members were safe.


2009

In August, an attempt was made on the life of Saudi Prince and counterintelligence chief Muhammad bin Nayef, Mohammed bin Nayef by al Qaeda operative Abdullah al-Asiri, Abdullah Hasan Tali al-Asiri, who died after detonating an underwear bomb.


2012

On 26 August 2012, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry announced the arrest of 2 Saudis and 6 Yemenis in Riyadh and Jeddah who had been preparing explosives for attacks within the kingdom. One member of the cell had had fingers amputated from injuries sustained by working on explosives. Materials for making bombs were found in a Riyadh mosque.


2015

5 January – A pair of suicide bombers attacked a border patrol unit near Arar, Saudi Arabia, Arar, killing three soldiers. 22 May – A suicide bomber attacked a Shia mosque in Qatif governate in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, Eastern Province. At least 22 were killed and 102 others were injured. 29 May – A suicide bomber attacked a Shia mosque in Dammam, killing 4 people and injuring 4 others. 3 July – A policeman was killed during a "counter-terror" operation in Taif. 16 July – News reports dated 16 July say a suicide attacker detonated his car bomb at a police checkpoint near a prison in Riyadh killing himself and injuring two others. 29 July – Press reports indicate that on 29 July a policeman was killed in a drive-by shooting in the village on Al-Jish in Qatif Province. 7 August – A suicide bomber attacked a Sunni mosque in Abha, in the southern province of Asir. The mosque was inside a military installation controlled by Saudi special forces engaged in the war in nearby Yemen. Press reports indicated 15 people were killed. 12 of them were members of security forces officers and the other three were workers 4 September – Aramco Abqaiq Community, Sgt. Ali Al-Habeeb, 47, was killed during the confrontation with the attacker. The terrorist fled but was chased down by security officers and surrounded inside a home located in the industrial district in the southern part of Abqaiq. Officers had information that he was wearing an explosives belt and asked him to surrender. However, he refused so officers took him out.


2016

Total Incidents: 13
54+ (+5) killed
35+ Injured * 5 January – Four armed men set Saudi Aramco bus on fire in Shia majority city of Qatif. * 29 January – Mahsen Mosque Attack Four worshippers were killed in a suicide bomb attack in Imam Rida Mosque in Hofuf, al-Hasa, in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia. The attackers were 22-year-old Saudi national, Abdur Rahman Abdullah Sulaiman al-Tuwaijiri and an Egyptian national Talha Hisham Mohammed Abdah. * 25 June – A working policeman was shot dead. * 30 June – Two adult twin brothers allegedly influenced by ISIS killed their mother and injured two other members of their family for not joining ISIS. The mother's funeral was attended by hundreds. * 4 July – 2016 Attacks in Saudi Arabia Series of terror attacks happened in three cities of Saudi Arabia including Medina, outside Prophet Mosque – one of the largest and holiest sites after Mecca. Four people are killed in addition to four attackers. * 12 July – A Saudi border guard was killed by a land mine near the border with
Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
. * 1 August – Militants shelled a town in the Jizan Region from across the border with
Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
killing four civilians and injuring three. * 18 September – Government spokesman says the two policemen were killed after facing heavy gunfire while patrolling the city. * 9 October – At least 25 Saudi soldiers have died in a raid by Huthi militia and its allies near the town of Jizan, on the southwestern tip of Saudi Arabia, as reported by the Yemeni news agency Saba, akin to the Huthi. * 20 October – At least two people were injured after a shelling in Jizan. * 30 October – A policeman was killed and another wounded in an attack on their patrol in Saudi town of Qatif.


2017

Total Incidents: 9
10 (+8) killed
40 injured * 7 January – On 7 January 2017, two ISIL terrorists were killed by police in the Al Yasmin suburb of Riyadh. The two men were named as Tayea Salem bin Yaslam Al-Sayari, wanted for previous acts of terrorism, and Talal bin Samran Al-Saedi, who had been released from the Care Rehabilitation Center, Saudi terrorist rehabilitation program. The police officer who killed the terrorists, Cpl. Gibran Jaber Awagy (alternative spelling Jabran Awaji), was injured in the gun battle. * 21 January – Two suicide bombers detonated their explosives during a firefight with Saudi security forces in Jeddah. * 8 March – A police officer was killed by an ISIS member. Then the perpetrator was killed by the police. * 12 May – A Saudi infant and a Pakistani civilian were killed and 10 others civilians, including two Pakistanis, an Indian and a Sudanese, were injured by terrorists in Qatif. An attacker was also killed by the police ISIS is suspected. * 16 May – A Saudi soldier was killed, and five more were wounded by a rocket-propelled grenade, in a district of al-Awamiya in operations to counter the militants. ISIS is suspected. * 1 June – Two people were killed in a car explosion in Al-Qatif, Saudi Arabia just before Maghrib prayers. Three men involved in the attack managed to escape and are currently being hunted by security officers in the area Hezbollah Al-Hejaz is suspected. * 11 June – One soldier was killed and two wounded after a bomb attack in the town of Al-Awamiyah Hezbollah Al-Hejaz is suspected. * 23 June – A suicide bomber blew himself up during a police raid in the city of Mecca. * 4 July – A Saudi policeman was killed and three others injured by an explosive device in a flashpoint Shiite-dominated city Hezbollah Al-Hejaz is suspected. * 6 July – A Saudi policeman was killed and six others injured by an explosive device exploded next to a police patrol in the village of Al-Awamiyah near Al-Qatif Hezbollah Al-Hejaz is suspected. * 14 July – A Saudi soldier was killed and another was wounded in a shooting attack on their patrol vehicle in the kingdom's Qatif province Hezbollah Al-Hejaz is suspected. * 3 August – A Saudi citizen was killed and another injured during an operation to secure families wishing to leave Awamiya, after an armed attack by terrorists on a bus Hezbollah Al-Hejaz is suspected.


See also

*Index of Saudi Arabia-related articles *Response of Saudi Arabia to ISIL


References

{{Reflist


External links

Books:
National Security in Saudi Arabia: Threats, Responses, and Challenges By Anthony H. Cordesman, Nawaf E. Obaid
NEWS:
Chronology of attacks on Westerners in Saudi ArabiaSpectre Of Al Qaeda: Saudi Arabia and its expat workforce have suffered many terror attacks in the last 10 years...
Other web pages:
Al-Qaeda in Saudi ArabiaTimeline of Terrorism in Saudi Arabia
Rebellions in Asia, Saudi Arabia, Insurgency in 20th century in Saudi Arabia 21st century in Saudi Arabia Terrorist incidents in Saudi Arabia, * Lists of terrorist incidents by country, Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia crime-related lists, Terrorist incidents