RIYADH // Saudi security forces killed a suspected ISIL member when he pulled a gun on a patrol in the capital Riyadh.
Officers were called to an apartment in the Al Rayan district where the suspect was “flaunting his support” for the extremist group on Tuesday, the interior ministry said.
“When security men tried to arrest him, he initiated resistance and pulled a gun and it became necessary to deal with him and neutralise him, which led to his death,” the ministry said, according to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Another person was arrested and was found to be in possession of a weapon.
Also on Wednesday, a Saudi policeman was shot dead in his car in the eastern region of Qatif which is a predominantly Shiite Muslim region.
An unidentified assailant shot dead the policeman in his car late Tuesday, interior ministry spokesman Maj Gen Mansour Al Turki said.
Saudi Arabia’s eastern province has been a target of ISIL attacks. The extremist group has claimed a series of deadly shootings and bombings in Saudi Arabia since late 2014.
Most attacks have targeted the Shiite minority and security forces, killing dozens of people.
ISIL leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi has called for attacks against Saudi Arabia, a member of the US-led coalition battling the group in Syria and Iraq.
On January 7, Saudi officers shot and killed two suspected extremists including an explosive belt maker during a police operation in northern Riyadh.
* Reuters and Associated Press
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.