RIYADH, March 21: Saudi Arabia handed over eight Yemenis detained on security charges and received five Saudi nationals on Sunday in the latest extradition exchange between the two countries, which are both battling militants.

The official Saudi news agency SPA quoted an interior ministry official as saying that authorities would question the five Saudis but did not say what they were wanted for.

Yemen's state-run weekly, September 26, said on Thursday that most of the Yemenis were suspects in terrorism cases and included "a dangerous terrorist element".

It quoted a Yemeni interior ministry official as saying the Saudis were wanted on security charges. Both Arab states have seen a spate of attacks, largely blamed on Al Qaeda network.

In September, Saudi Arabia handed over nine Yemenis, some wanted for the 2002 bombing of a French super tanker off Yemen, and received a suspected al Qaeda member and seven other wanted Saudis. -Reuters