US defence contractor confirms staff wounded in Saudi shooting

Two Americans who came under fire in Saudi Arabia this weekend are employees of a US defence contractor, the firm said on Sunday, confirming the second attack in recent months against Vinnell Arabia. In a statement issued through a public relations firm, the company confirmed two Vinnell Arabia employees were involved in an incident on Friday, in which they were shot at by assailants in the al-Ahsa province of Saudi Arabia. Saudi police said earlier that one American had been wounded in a shooting.

Both employees were injured but are in stable condition at a local hospital.

Statement issued by defence contractor, Vinnell Arabia

Vinnell Arabia provides training for the Saudi National Guard, a parallel army. Police said a car carrying two American nationals “came under fire from an unknown source”, on Friday afternoon in al-Ahsa, part of the eastern region which is the source of most of the kingdom’s oil wealth, police said. A source close to the incident said several rounds were fired at the Vinnell vehicle from a white car. The Vinnell driver was hit several times, the source said, adding he was not aware of injuries to the second employee, who was able to drive his wounded colleague to hospital.

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