Updated June 24, 2017 11:54:22

Photo: Pilgrims pray near the Al-Safa mountain at the Grand Mosque, during the holy fasting month of Ramadan. (AP: Amr Nabil)

Saudi security forces have foiled a suicide attack on the Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, cornering the alleged potential attacker before he blew himself up, the Interior Ministry says.

In a statement read on state television, the ministry said that three cells had planned the attack on worshippers and security forces at the mosque as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan nears its climax.

The trapped would-be suicide bomber exchanged fire with the security forces, then set off explosives when he was surrounded in a house in a central Mecca neighbourhood, the ministry said.

The building collapsed, injuring six foreigners and five members of the security forces.

Earlier in the day, security forces had shot dead a wanted man at another suspected Islamist militant hideout in Mecca's al-Aseelah neighbourhood.

The ministry also said a third cell had been broken up in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, but gave no further details.

Five suspected militants including a woman were arrested, it said.

Photo: Muslims prepare to break their fast and pray sunset prayers during Ramadan, at the Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca. (AP: Amr Nabil)

The month of fasting ends with the Eid-al-Fitr holiday, on Sunday. Saudi monarchs usually spend the last 10 days of Ramadan in Mecca.

The Grand Mosque houses Islam's holiest site, the cube-shaped Kaaba that Islam's followers pray toward five times a day.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the plot to attack the mosque, but the Islamic State group, which wants to establish a theocratic caliphate ruled according to strict Islamic law, had in the past carried out attacks in the kingdom.

Reuters

Topics: unrest-conflict-and-war, community-and-society, religion-and-beliefs, saudi-arabia

First posted June 24, 2017 11:50:03