Two gunmen shot dead a Saudi policeman patrolling in the holy city of Mecca overnight, witnesses said on Sunday. In the same city, seven pilgrims were trampled to death in a rush to receive charity handouts.
The shooting took place in an area of the western Saudi city where over 1.5 million Muslim faithful were gathering to observe the end of Ramadan. According to AFP, the shooters opened fire on a police patrol, hitting one of the two officers in the back of his head, the witnesses said. The victim - Muhammed Musfer A Zaharani - was rushed to hospital where he later died of his wounds.
Meanwhile, the rush, in which seven where killed and 17 others were wounded, was sparked by the arrival of a Red Crescent truck to distribute charity handouts to the needy, the Okaz daily reported.
