Riyadh  - Saudi Arabia took custody of al-Qaeda commander Mohammed al-Awfi from Yemeni authorities on Tuesday, according to Saudi security sources.

Sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that al-Awfi had turned himself in to the Yemeni authorities.

Al-Awfi, also known as Abu Hareth, is a former Guantanamo detainee who had been released from a Saudi centre for those returning from the US military prison camp.

After being released, al-Awfi went to Yemen and appeared on an al- Qaeda video last month to say he had joined the group's regional wing in Yemen as a commander. (dpa)