Suspected Muslim militants shot at US citizens in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh today just days after a major al-Qaeda attack in the country killed 22 people, mainly foreigners.
"There has been shooting in Riyadh against Americans this morning," said a diplomat. "We have no word on casualties and no details at this moment."
In a separate incident, Saudi forces killed two gunmen after clashes in the Western city of Ta'if, security sources said.
Dubai-based Al Arabiya television said the two men were wanted "terrorists" but that they were not linked to the weekend shooting and hostage-taking rampage in the eastern city of Khobar, the second major attack on the oil industry in a month.
Twenty-two people were killed in the attack, 19 of them Westerners and other foreigners. Saudi Arabia has been battling al Qaeda militants for over a year.
The shootout in Tai'f, close to the holy Muslim city of Mecca, began on Tuesday when gunmen fired on a police checkpoint in the mountainous region.
Saudi forces had launched a huge manhunt for three militants who escaped after the Khobar attack, setting up checkpoints and roadblocks across the kingdom.