RIYADH: In a clampdown on terrorism, police arrested as many as 557 suspects in the last three months of the Islamic calendar, which translates into an average of six arrests daily.

According to local media, the biggest number of arrests, that is 243, were made in the first month of Muharram. The suspects were from 12 nationalities and Saudis constituted the majority. The second month of Safar saw 124 suspects landing behind bars, while 149 were arrested in Rabiul Awwal.

Highlighting the achievement recently, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior, expressed his deep appreciation for the professionalism shown by security forces in capturing the terror suspects.

The report said that among those arrested in Muharram were 16 Yemenis and nine Syrians. This is in addition to the arrest of suspects from 15 different nationalities in the third month of the Islamic calendar. The suspects had reportedly tried to cover up their activities by mixing with refugees.

In the first 10 days of this month, security forces rounded up 41 people, most of them Saudis, while the number of Syrians stood at four.