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Hostage situation over
30/05/2004 07:59 - (SA)
Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia - Several hostages were killed at the housing compound where they were held by suspected Al-Qaeda militants in this Saudi oil city, a security guard at the scene told AFP on Sunday.
"Some were killed," he told reporters waiting to enter the six-storey building which security forces stormed early in the morning.
The guard did not know if the hostages had been killed by the militants or during the rescue operation.
A soldier who took part in the operation had just told AFP that all the hostages had been released during the operation.
"We freed all the hostages," the smiling soldier said after walking out of the six-storey building where the extremists had holed up on Saturday after twin attacks on oil company offices in which at least 10 people died in Al-Khobar.
An AFP correspondent saw a bus and several cars drive into the compound as tension faded away.
Sporadic shooting had been heard from inside the apartment block after helicopters landed some 40 troops on the roof amid loud gunfire from automatic weapons just before 05:30.
Shots had rung out throughout the night, including an intense volley three hours earlier, however calm returned by about 07:00, the correspondent said.
Al-Arabiya television reported the leader of the militants captured, although there was no official confirmation.
In Washington, Saudi ambassador Prince Bandar bin Sultan said seven US hostages had been rescued by Saudi forces.
- AFP
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