Two Dead In Shooting At US Consulate In Saudi Arabia

A shooting outside the United States Consulate in the port city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has left two people dead, a Nepalese security guard and the gunman who initially opened fire. Officials in the US and Saudi Arabia confirmed the incident on Wednesday as investigations continue into the attack. A person in a car stopped near the American consulate building in Jeddah and got out of it carrying a firearm in his hand, a spokesperson for the Mecca Region police said.

So security authorities took the initiative to deal with him as required and the exchange of fire resulted in his death.” According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), a state news outlet, reported the death of the security guard, who was part of the consulate’s private security. No US citizens were injured in the gunfire, the US State Department said afterwards. The armed man got out of a car in front the consulate building and was killed as he exchanged gunfire with security officers.

The shooting coincided with the final day of the hajj at nearby Mecca. More than 1.6 million foreign pilgrims arriving on planes and boats have streamed through coastal Jeddah en route to the rituals. Security investigations are still underway to ascertain the circumstances of the incident, the police spokesman said. The gunman’s nationality has not been revealed. US officials said no Americans were hurt and that the consulate had been secured.

We offer our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased local guards member, the State Department said in a statement in Washington. The consulate was appropriately locked down and no Americans were harmed in the attack, it said. In recent times, Jeddah has been a hub of US diplomatic activity as the United States and Saudi Arabia together try to mediate between warring generals in Sudan.