Explosion rocks Jeddah suburb as suspected militants self-detonate

The Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah was rocked on Saturday by an explosion in the Hazarat district.

Two suspected militants are reported to have self-detonated when when confronted by security forces in a residential area in Saudi Arabia’s second city following an exchange of fire, reported a website affiliated with the country’s Interior Ministry. 

Videos of the incident show a large explosion and smoke billowing from a brown two-storey building proceeded by a brief burst of gun shots. 

Al-Akhbar 24 reported that one of the suspected militants confronted by security forces detonated an explosive belt in an area being used as an explosives factory leading to the large-scale blast.

There was no immediate comment from the Saudi interior ministry.

Saturday's incident follows on from the killing of two suspected Islamic State group-linked militants in a dawn raid in Riyadh on 7 January. 

IS has conducted a number of bomb attacks and shootings in Saudi Arabia since 2014 that have mainly targetted members of the country's Shia minority and security services.

In July 2016 a suicide bomber was killed and two people were wounded in a blast near the US consulate in Jeddah, the first bombing to target foreigners in the kingdom for years.