On Wednesday (June 28), an armed man opened fire outside the US consulate in Jeddah city of Saudi Arabia.
As per reports, the unnamed accused stopped his car outside the consulate building and fired gunshots. This led to a retaliatory firing by the Saudi security authorities, which resulted in his death. A Nepali security guard, deployed at the building, also died after sustaining injuries during the gunfight.
In a statement, a police spokesperson (Makkah region) informed, “A person in a car stopped near the American Consulate building in Jeddah Governorate and got out of it carrying a firearm in his hand, so security authorities took the initiative to deal with him as required, and the exchange of fire resulted in his death.”
#UPDATE A security guard and a gunman were killed in an exchange of gunfire in front of the US consulate in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah, officials said https://t.co/l20esCGOjC pic.twitter.com/qIiD6nUF82
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) June 28, 2023
According to the US State Department, no Americans were harmed during the attack. A spokesperson for the US State Department said, “The U.S. Embassy and Consulate remain in contact with Saudi authorities as they investigate the incident.”
“We offer our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased local guards member,” the official added. Following the shooting, the US consulate building was locked down. The motive of the armed assailant behind orchestrating the attack has not been ascertained so far.
Past attacks on the US consulate in Jeddah
Reportedly, the US consulate building in Jeddah has been targeted several times in the past. On the occasion of America’s Independence Day (July 4) in 2016, a suicide bombing attack was carried out at the Dr Suleiman Faqeeh Hospital, which is located opposite the consulate building.
The incident resulted in the death of the terrorist and injured two others. Similarly in 2004, five terrorists belonging to the radical Islamist outfit ‘Al-Qaeda’ barged into the US consulate building in Jeddah, killing 4 Saudi security personnel and 5 staffers of the building.
About 18 employees in the US consulate were also held hostage. In total, three of the five terrorists were neutralised. One man was awarded the death penalty in 2013 while 19 others were given jail sentences of up to 25 years.
