IS claims Riyadh bomb blast

Published February 9, 2016

DUBAI/RIYADH: An explosion damaged some cars in the Saudi capital on Monday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The militant Islamic State (IS) group said it had been caused by a bomb one of its members had affixed to the vehicle.

A police spokesman said a citizen had reported that his car parked in front of his house in the city’s Al Azizia district had been damaged by the explosion in the morning.

There were no injuries but the windows of some nearby vehicles were also shattered.

In a statement released on a social messaging platform, an IS ‘news agency’ said the blast was caused by a “sticky bomb” attached to the vehicle of a member of the Saudi armed forces, the SITE monitoring service reported.

MISSILE: Meanwhile, Saudi Arabian air defences intercepted a Scud missile fired at Khamis Mushait city where a major airbase is located.

Roughly 100km from the Yemeni border, the King Khalid Air Base, near the city, is at the forefront of Saudi-led air operations against Houthi rebels and elite troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen.

The interception occurred at about 3am, Brig Gen Ahmed al Assiri, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, told AFP.

“They are still targeting the cities,” he said.

Saudi Arabia has deployed Patriot missile batteries designed to counter tactical ballistic missiles, which have been fired occasionally since March when the coalition began air strikes in support of the Yemeni government after the Houthis seized much of the country.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2016

Opinion

The Dar story continues

The Dar story continues

One wonders what the rationale was for the foreign minister — a highly demanding, full-time job — being assigned various other political responsibilities.

Editorial

Wheat protests
Updated 01 May, 2024

Wheat protests

The government should withdraw from the wheat trade gradually, replacing the existing market support mechanism with an effective new one over the next several years.
Polio drive
01 May, 2024

Polio drive

THE year’s fourth polio drive has kicked off across Pakistan, with the aim to immunise more than 24m children ...
Workers’ struggle
01 May, 2024

Workers’ struggle

FACED with high inflation and bleak economic prospects nationally, the workers of Pakistan have little to celebrate...
All this talk
Updated 30 Apr, 2024

All this talk

The other parties are equally legitimate stakeholders in the country’s political future, and it must give them due consideration.
Monetary policy
30 Apr, 2024

Monetary policy

ALIGNING its decision with the trend in developed economies, the State Bank has acted wisely by holding its key...
Meaningless appointment
30 Apr, 2024

Meaningless appointment

THE PML-N’s policy of ‘family first’ has once again triggered criticism. The party’s latest move in this...