Saudi forces killed three militants in overnight clashes in the eastern oil city of Dammam in which two policemen were also killed, security sources said today.
The deaths raise to five the number of suspected al-Qaeda militants killed in a standoff with police that began on Sunday. Three policemen have also been killed so far.
The world's top oil exporter has been battling a wave of violence linked to supporters of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda for the past two years.