Attacks on Saudi airports in Abha and Riyadh kill three, injure 36
In short
Three people were killed and 36 injured in attacks on Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said. Two female residents, one Moroccan and one Algerian, died at Abha, where 28 people were injured; a Sudanese man died at King Khalid airport, where eight were injured. Gulf News described the attacks as Houthi attacks.
Read the full story 1 min read
Three people were killed and 36 others injured in attacks on two Saudi airports, Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said in a statement. Gulf News described them as Houthi attacks and reported that they took place on Tuesday and Wednesday; the authority said the airports were targeted on October 6 and 7. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
At Abha International Airport, two female residents, one Moroccan and the other Algerian, were killed, and 28 people were injured, according to the statement. Those injured included Saudi citizens and two residents from Bangladesh and the Philippines, with injuries ranging from minor to serious. [ 1 , 2 ]
At King Khalid International Airport, a Sudanese resident was killed and eight people were injured: five Saudi citizens, two Egyptian residents and one Pakistani resident. Their injuries also ranged from minor to serious, the authority said. [ 1 , 2 ]
GACA said emergency teams and the relevant authorities responded immediately in line with established procedures and emergency plans, and all those injured were taken to hospital for treatment. The two attacks also caused material damage, but the authority did not give details of its extent, Gulf News reported. [ 1 , 2 ]
The authority said it was working with the relevant security authorities to assess the damage and take measures to ensure the safety of passengers and airport staff and to safeguard the kingdom's civil aviation system. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The attacks hit two international airports in Saudi Arabia and caused deaths, injuries and material damage, according to the aviation authority. GACA said it was working with security authorities to assess the damage and protect passengers, airport staff and the kingdom's civil aviation system.
Key facts
- Three people were killed and 36 injured in attacks on two Saudi airports, GACA said. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Two female residents, one Moroccan and one Algerian, were killed in the attack on Abha International Airport. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The Abha attack injured 28 people, including Saudi citizens and two residents from Bangladesh and the Philippines. [ 1 , 2 ]
- A Sudanese resident was killed in the attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, where eight people were injured. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The eight injured at King Khalid airport were five Saudi citizens, two Egyptian residents and one Pakistani resident. [ 1 , 2 ]
- GACA said the airports were targeted on October 6 and 7. [ 1 ]
- All the injured were taken to hospital, and the attacks caused material damage, the authority said. [ 1 , 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Two female residents of Moroccan and Algerian nationality died in the attack on Abha International Airport. [ 1 , 2 ]
- A Sudanese resident died in the attack on King Khalid International Airport. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Injuries in both attacks ranged from minor to serious, and all the injured were taken to hospital. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The attacks caused material damage. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- Who carried out the attacks. Gulf News called them Houthi attacks; Emirates 24|7's report of the GACA statement does not name an attacker.
- The extent of the material damage. GACA did not give details of the damage, Gulf News reported.
- How the airports were attacked. The documents do not say what weapons were used.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Gulf News reports GACA's statement that three people were killed and 36 injured in attacks on the Abha and Riyadh airports. [ 1 ]
- Emirates 24|7 reports the casualties announced by the Saudi civil aviation authority. [ 2 ]
- Arabian Business reports the attacks killed three and injured 36, citing GACA. [ 3 ]