Saudi Arabia Claims to Have Shot Down a Drone Near the Royal Palace in Riyadh

Saudi security forces say they have shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle near Riyadh, in an area where the Saudi royal palaces are located. The official Saudi news agency reports that a checkpoint in 'Khazama' detected a small drone, which was remotely controlled, around 8 PM local time. According to the news agency, 'the police have shot down this drone, and security officials are investigating the incident.' A spokesperson for the Riyadh police also stated that one of the country's security centers confirmed the unauthorized presence of a small drone and that security officials prevented its flight. A senior Saudi official told Reuters that King Salman was not at his palace in Riyadh at the time of the incident and was elsewhere in the capital. However, unconfirmed reports on social media have indicated that heavy gunfire was heard around the presidential palaces in Riyadh. Nevertheless, Saudi officials have denied the occurrence of a complex security incident. Reports indicate that in recent months, since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman began his economic and political initiatives and opened up the social and cultural space in the country, security measures around the royal palace and main government centers have increased. The Crown Prince has ordered the arrest of several influential figures for various reasons, including corruption allegations; among those arrested are some of his rivals from the ruling family.