THE SECURITY SPOKESMAN OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR SAID THAT TWO FRENCH MEN WERE SHOT DEAD, A THIRD ONE DIED IN HOSPITAL AND ONE INJURED WHEN A GROUP OF FRENCH RESIDENTS INCLUDING FOUR MEN, THREE WOMEN AND TWO CHILDREN CAME UNDER FIRE FROM AN UNKNOWN CAR IN A DESERT AREA 17KM FAR FROM MADINAH-TABUK ROAD ON MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE SPOKESMAN STATED THAT SECURITY AUTHORITIES RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT FIRE WAS SHOT FROM THE CAR ON THE GROUP RETURNING FROM A LAND TRIP AND RESTING IN THE AREA, NOTING THAT SOME OF THE FRENCH NATIONALS INTENDED TO HEAD TO MAKKAH TO PERFORM UMRAH (MINOR PILGRIMAGE). THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT FOLLOWING THE INFORMATION, SECURITY MEN WERE IMMEDIATELY RUSHED TO THE SCENE AND FOUND THAT TWO MEN WERE KILLED ON THE SPOT AND TWO OTHERS WERE INJURED, ONE OF THEM DIED LATER IN HOSPITAL AND THE OTHER ONE IS BEING TREATED. WOMEN AND CHILDREN WERE TRANSFERRED TO MADINAH FOR ACCOMMODATION AND INVESTIGATION IS STILL UNDER WAY, THE SPOKESMAN NOTED.