Death toll rises in Saudi attack

Gunmen opened fire today at an oil refinery co-owned by Exxon Mobil and the Saudi company SABIC in north-western Saudi Arabia, killing at least two Britons, three Americans, an Australian and a Saudi, company officials and diplomats said.

Interior Ministry officials said three attackers were also killed.

The attack killed at least three American engineers working for oil services company ABB, according to company spokesman Bjorn Edlund, based in Zurich, Switzerland.

“We have been informed that there were several casualties,” he said, adding that company officials were travelling to the site to investigate.

The European diplomats said two Britons, an Australian and a member of the Saudi national guard also were killed. A police captain was seriously wounded, they said.

The Saudi Interior Ministry said three suspected terrorists and several Saudis and foreigners were killed in the shooting.

A US Embassy official confirmed Americans were among the casualties – though the official would not say if they were dead or wounded.