Report: Senior Al-Qaida Commander in Saudi Arabia Killed in Clashes with Saudi Security Forces
By Evan Kohlmann
A multi-pronged counterterrorism offensive by Saudi security forces appears to have eliminated the leader of Al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia and an active Al-Qaida cell near the Saudi capital Riyadh thought to have been planning imminent attacks on Western targets in the Kingdom. Though still unconfirmed, supporters of Al-Qaida's Committee in Saudi Arabia are now reporting the "martyrdom" of top Al-Qaida leader Saleh Mohammed al-Aoofi--during clashes in Mecca with Saudi security forces. Al-Aoofi has primarily led Al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia since the death of former top Al-Qaida commander Abdelaziz al-Muqrin last summer. According to sources at the Saudi Interior Ministry, during a series of counterterrorism raids near a mosque in central Mecca, security forces were fired upon by three men holed up in one of the target locations. Police fired back, wounding one and killing the other two, including the infamous Saleh al-Aoofi.
Simultaneously, Saudi security forces also engaged another cell of Al-Qaida operatives in a residential area north of Riyadh. After a raucous shootout that injured one police officer, the security forces were able to breach the cell's headquarters and seize weapons, explosives, money, and documents.
Developing...
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