‘Toy drone’ shot down near Saudi palaces

RIYADH: Saudi forces on Saturday shot down an unidentified toy drone that hovered over a Riyadh neighbourhood home to royal palaces, state media said, prompting a security alarm in the capital.

"At 1950 (1650 GMT) a security checkpoint in Khuzama neighbourhood of Riyadh spotted a small remote-controlled drone," the Saudi Press Agency reported.

SPA added that security forces shot down the drone and authorities were investigating the incident.

"Police shot it down. Authorities are investigating the incident." The statement follows unconfirmed reports on social media of heavy gunfire around royal palaces.

But authorities firmly denied any major security breach.

Security around the royal palaces appears to have tightened in recent months as powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman oversees landmark social and economic reforms to prepare for a post-oil era, despite the risk of riling religious hardliners.

Saudi Arabia is also embroiled in a long running conflict in its southern neighbour Yemen, dubbed by the United Nations as the world´s worst humanitarian crisis.

Saudi Arabia´s King Salman was not present in his palace in Riyadh on Saturday when security forces shot down a toy drone in the area, a senior Saudi official told Reuters.

"The king was at his farm in Diriya," the official said, naming another area of the capital.

A spokesman for the Riyadh police said earlier that forces at a checkpoint in the Khozama district had identified the drone and "dealt with it according to their orders", without specifying if there were any injuries or damage. AFP/ Reuters

Monitoring Desk adds: Meanwhile, Iranian 'Press' TV reported that heavy gunfire and explosions has been reported from outside the royal palace in Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh.

According to eyewitnesses, gunfire can be heard in the vicinity of the palace late on Saturday night.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman has reportedly been evacuated from the compound to a bunker at an air force base in Riyadh.

The number of assailants, their identity or affiliation has still not been identified.