RIYADH ? A Sudanese man condemned to death for killing one of his compatriots in Saudi Arabia was beheaded on Saturday, the interior ministry said.

Faisal Ali Abdel Ghani Ahmed was condemned to death for killing Abdel Daem al-Tahar with axe blows to the head following an argument, the ministry said, adding that the execution took place in the southwestern Assir region.

Last year, there were 67 reported executions in Saudi Arabia, compared with 102 in 2008.

Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under the kingdom's strict version of sharia, or Islamic law.