Three killed as worker opens fire at Saudi-Yemen border

Three people were killed at a Yemen border crossing when a Saudi immigration worker opened fire, killing a colleague and police officer before being shot himself, Saudi authorities said on Sunday.

The 34-year-old employee of the Wadia crossing, the only border crossing left open between the two countries, shot two of his colleagues at the frontier post on Saturday night, after they accused him of missing shifts, the Najran province administration said via Twitter.

One died instantly while another was injured and hospitalised.

The gunman went on to kill a police officer before being shot dead as he tried to flee the scene.

The Najran authority made no link between the attack and the war in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia is leading a military coalition battling Houthi rebels.

Last week, Yemeni residents of Saudi Arabia attempting to cross into the war-torn country via the same Wadia border crossing were left stranded for days after Saudi authorities banned 4x4 vehicles from entering Yemen, sources told The New Arab.

A Yemeni resident of Saudi Arabia who was embarking on the days-long journey to the capital Sanaa said her family was forced to stop-over in a city just two hours away from Riyadh after hearing news of the ban.

"Most of those left stranded went back to Sharourah. All the hotels there are fully booked," she told The New Arab, referring to the Saudi border town.

"Those who can't afford to do so are staying at the border with no food, no water, nothing. It's heartbreaking," she added.

The Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Riyadh issued a statement confirming that it is following up the issue with relevant authorities, urging its nationals living in the kingdom to avoid travelling to Yemen with their four-wheel-drive vehicles and other heavy equipment.

No reason was given by Saudi authorities for the ban but the embassy statement said it would enquire on how long the decision is due to be implemented.

Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a coalition fighting Houthi rebels who overran the capital and other major cities. 

The deadly war has killed more then 10,000 people and forced hundreds of thousands more to flee their homes in what the UN has described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.