Jeddah bomber was Pakistani: Saudi Arabia

Riyadh, July 5: A suicide bomber who blew himself up in the city of Jeddah was a Pakistani national, according to the Saudi interior ministry.

A ministry spokesman identified the bomber as Abdullah Qalzar Khan, Al Arabiya reported.

Khan was killed while two security officials were injured in the Monday explosion, a statement from the ministry said.

Khan was born in Pakistan and lived with his wife and children in Jeddah. He came to Saudi Arabia 12 years ago and worked as a private driver.

In another incident, a suicide bomber killed four security officials and injured five others in a blast in Islam's holiest sites in the Saudi city of Madina on Monday night.

The bomber detonated his explosives after he was stopped outside the Prophet's Mosque in Madina, the burial place of the Prophet Muhammad and the holiest city in Islam after Makkah.

Pakistan on Tuesday condemned the blast in Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said: "The government and the people of Pakistan are deeply shocked and saddened over the terrorist attacks in holy land and share the pain and grief of their Saudi brethren."

According to Saudi officials, Deputy Crown Prince Muhammed bin Salman received a telephone call from Pakistani Army Chief General Rahil Sharif, who too condemned the blast in Jeddah.

IANS