RIYADH: A Saudi police spokesman said a foreign detainee died and nine others were injured in a riot at a centre housing people awaiting deportation.

Police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ati bin Attiya al-Qarshi said in a statement Monday that some of the foreign detainees at the al-Shemaisi centre had rioted Sunday evening and clashed with security men.

He did not give the reasons for rioting or reveal the victims' nationalities.

Yemeni online forums reported that 10 Yemenis were killed when police opened fire on rioters demanding that Saudi authorities speed up their deportation.

The reports say between 6,000 to 10,000 Yemenis are detained in the prison in Jeddah.

Since last year, the government has deported hundreds of thousands of illegal workers after an amnesty period.