Authorities in Saudi Arabia say security forces have shot and killed two wanted terrorists, hours after the fugitives gunned down five policemen in a drive-by shooting.

The two dead men are said to have been involved in the al-Qaida terror network's operations in the kingdom.

One of the suspects, Mohammed bin Abdel-Rahman al-Suwailmi, was fatally wounded in a shootout with government forces that broke out after the initial attack on police Tuesday.

An Interior Ministry official says the second suspect, Abdel-Rahman al-Mutab, made his escape after the original gunbattle, but was caught and shot to death north of Riyadh, Wednesday.

Both men were on Saudi Arabia's list of most-wanted terrorists. Authorities say they killed five officers in a drive-by shooting in Qassim province.

Saudi Arabia launched a massive crackdown on Islamic militants in 2003, following a series of deadly attacks on foreigners and oil facilities in the kingdom.