Two Saudi security officers and two people they were trying to detain were killed in a gunfight on Thursday in the eastern town of Al-Awamiya, the government said.

The area has seen many anti-government protests.

An Interior Ministry spokesman said security forces came under fire while trying to arrest "a number of armed troublemakers" who had previously fired on residents and security forces in Awamiya, according to state news agency SPA.

It said the security forces responded to the source of shooting in accordance with standing rules.

"As a result of the exchange of fire, the wanted men Ali Ahmed al-Faraj and Hussein Ali Madan al-Faraj were killed," SPA said, adding that two security men had also died and two more were wounded.

It said two pieces of weapons, a bullet-proof vest, a pair of binoculars used by snipers and a large amount of ammunition were found at the scene.-Reuters