Saudi says ISIL supporter killed in fire exchange with police

Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry said on Saturday a wanted militant, a supporter of ISIL, had been killed in an exchange of fire with police when he refused to surrender.

Youssef al-Ghamdi was surrounded by police in a home in the western city of Taif and an exchange of fire took place when he refused to give himself up, a statement by the ministry on the state news agency SPA said.

A Saudi policeman was killed in an exchange of fire on Friday in the same city when investigating a house where the suspect was believed to be hiding.

The 32-year-old militant had not travelled outside the kingdom and had been jailed in the past for six years on criminal charges, the interior ministry had said earlier.

Saudi Arabia last month announced a list of 16 people it said were involved in two deadly mosque bombings claimed by ISIL in May and offered a cash reward of SAR 5m ($1.3m) for information leading to their arrest.