12 Killed, 309 Injured in Attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid Airport
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said 12 people have been killed and 309 others injured following Saturday’s attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
In a statement issued on Saturday evening, the authority said four of the dead were Saudi citizens, while the other eight were two Bangladeshis, one American, one Egyptian, one Jordanian, one Syrian, one Palestinian and one Sudanese.
According to the Saudi civil aviation authority, the injured are receiving treatment in several hospitals in Riyadh, and the condition of some of them has been reported as critical. Saudi officials also said rescue teams are continuing to transfer the wounded.
Meanwhile, Saudi officials announced that flight operations and all operational activities at King Khalid Airport would remain completely suspended until a full assessment of the damage is completed and the safety of the facilities is confirmed.
The Saudi civil aviation authority added that the attack damaged parts of the runway, operational buildings and airport support facilities, and technical inspections are under way to determine the exact extent of the damage.
In an earlier statement, the authority had announced the immediate suspension of flights and a complete halt to airport operations, saying all incoming and outgoing flights had been diverted to alternative airports. King Khalid International Airport is one of the main air transit hubs in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
