- Saudi Authorities Report New Casualties at King Khalid International Airport; Flight Operations Suspended as Conflicting Claims Emerge Over Responsibility
RIYADH: One Pakistani national was killed and 11 other people were injured in a fresh attack on Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport on Sunday, according to the kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority.
In a statement posted on X, the authority confirmed that the latest incident occurred on Sunday afternoon, resulting in the death of a Pakistani national residing in Saudi Arabia and injuries to 11 other people.
The attack prompted precautionary measures at the airport, with flight operations expected to remain suspended until approximately the end of the day, a source in Riyadh’s air traffic control service told Russia’s TASS news agency.
Turki Al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, said an unidentified projectile had struck a passenger terminal at Riyadh International Airport, triggering a fire. Authorities were assessing the situation following the incident.
Meanwhile, Yahya Saria, military spokesperson for Yemen’s Houthi movement, claimed that the group had targeted airports in Riyadh and Dammam, as well as facilities belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco. The claims had not been independently verified.
The latest incident follows reports of a deadly attack on the same airport on October 10, in which 12 people were reportedly killed and 300 injured, according to the information provided.
The successive incidents have raised serious concerns over civilian safety and the security of Saudi Arabia’s aviation infrastructure. The suspension of flights is also expected to disrupt air travel while authorities implement precautionary measures and investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack.
BY: The Times Union
