RIYADH: A high-ranking security officer was killed while he was heading to work on Tuesday morning in Al-Arja area of Al-Dawadimi province, west of Riyadh, the Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman of the ministry, said assailants came in a Toyota vehicle, intercepted Col. Kitab Majid Al-Hammadi’s car and opened fire on him. They fled the scene after killing him.

Al-Turki said a probe has been launched. A Daesh affiliate group said on Twitter it had “assassinated” the officer.