RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) Thousands of African migrants residing illegally in Saudi Arabia's main city of Riyadh surrendered to police on Sunday, residents said, a day after two people were killed in violent clashes between Ethiopians and vigilante residents backed by police.
The clashes, which also injured 68, were the clearest sign yet of how rapidly a nationwide crackdown on millions of foreign workers in Saudi Arabia could spiral into chaos and instability in the tightly-controlled kingdom.
The sweeps and deportations appear to have broad backing by Saudis since it is aimed largely at creating more job opportunities for the kingdom's own citizens, who comprise less than half of the country's workforce.
The official Saudi news agency said police arrested 561 rioters who barricaded themselves in the narrow streets of Riyadh's Manhoufa neighborhood Saturday night. It said they threw stones, threatened people with knives and damaged more than 100 cars and many shops.
The agency described the rioters as "anonymous" without saying why they were rioting. It quoted Riyadh police spokesman Brig. Gen. Nasser al-Qahtani as saying a Saudi man and an unidentified person were killed by rioters, who were mostly foreign workers who did not have valid work permits and were facing deportation.