RIYADH, May 21: Saudi Arabia has set up a rapid reaction force to confront terror attacks and natural disasters, the director of the Saudi Civil Defence Maj. Gen. Saad Al-Tuwaijri said in remarks published here on Friday.

"We now have a special force whose members are highly- trained and equipped with sophisticated equipment to deal with terrorist attacks," he said in a press statement. The civil defence chief said the duties of the squad would includes rescue work, extinguishing fires, evacuating casualties and dealing with chemical agents.

The majority of the squad members and officers have received advanced training abroad. It is an emergency force fully competent to handle bombing incidents and natural disasters," he said.

Six helicopter bases are being built all over the kingdom to provide logistical support to the civil defence helicopter fleet. Officers were touring the United States, Europe and Russia to purchase advanced rescue helicopters to beef up the fleet, he said.

Civil defence helicopters provided crucial assistance during last month's siege on a mountainous area north east of Riyadh where a group of terrorists were holed up. Mr Al-Tuwaijri denied reports the department was hiring female fire fighters.

"There is no such plan," he said. "Women cannot do this kind of work. It is for men only. Our culture and traditions prohibit this because it will lead to mixing between men and women."