Egyptians riot in western Saudi Arabia in rare protest by foreign workers

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – The official Saudi Press Agency says five Saudi civilians were injured when a group of Egyptians rioted in the northwestern Red Sea city of Duba in a rare protest by foreign workers in the kingdom.

The news agency reported Monday that the workers threw rocks, burnt tires and closed a major road late Sunday to protest their employers' negligence. The protesters say they should have been provided transportation back to Egypt by now.

The men are among 1,700 seasonal butchers who stay in Saudi Arabia during the month of hajj. They are typically paid around 1,500 riyals, or about $400.

Employers often promise to pay for the roundtrip transportation to Saudi Arabia from Egypt, giving the workers a rare chance to also perform the Muslim pilgrimage while there.