RIYADH: Two Africans, who killed their own community member, were arrested by police in the Madinah region within 48 hours of the incident.

Madinah Police Chief Maj. Gen. Abdul Hadi Al-Shahrani commended the promptness of police officers who lost no time in tracking down the two suspects.

According to Al-Shahrani, police received a complaint from a citizen saying that an African was found dead in a neighborhood near a sheep farm.

Police found the dead person in a pool of blood with several stab injuries on the body. During the investigation, they also found a knife, a steel rod and a wooden stick that were used to assault the deceased.

While police were at the murder site, one of the killers, who was hiding in the vicinity, was arrested, while the other had run into the neighboring mountainous area. Subsequently, police apprehended the suspect hiding in the mountains.

During the preliminary police inquiry, it was revealed that the incident was triggered by an argument among the Africans who were illegally living in the Kingdom.

The official pointed out that those arrested will be investigated and face a trial on completion of the police inquiry.

According to officials, most crimes in the Kingdom are committed by illegal residents who have overstayed their visas. As a result, the government has intensified its campaign against those who have overstayed their visas.

During the amnesty period offered by the late Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, illegal residents were allowed to leave the Kingdom without any penalties.

The Ministry of Interior had earlier advised all illegal expatriates in the Kingdom to correct their work and residency status following the end of the amnesty period on Nov. 1, 2013, or leave the country.