WASHINGTON: The Arab coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen is taking steps to reduce civilian casualties, the US State Department said on Thursday as it defended a certification to Congress by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to avoid limits on US aid to Saudi Arabia.
“They are taking steps, in the view of the US government and this administration, in the right direction,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told a briefing. “We see them taking steps...Do we see them doing what they can to mitigate civilian casualties? Absolutely we do,” she added.
Her comments came a day after Pompeo told Congress that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were working to reduce civilian casualties.
Pompeo said in a statement that he told Congress that the governments of Saudi Arabia and the UAE were taking concrete steps to reduce the risk of harming civilians and civilian infrastructure due to the operations of the Yemeni Legitimacy Alliance.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis confirmed that he fully supported and approved Pompeo’s certification, adding that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are making every effort to reduce the risk of civilian casualties and collateral damage.
Mattis also said the United States is working with the UN special envoy to achieve a negotiated end to the fighting.
Arab coalition working to reduce civilian deaths in Yemen — US State Department
Arab coalition working to reduce civilian deaths in Yemen — US State Department
King Salman, Crown Prince send condolences to Azerbaijan president
- The King and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also extend sympathies to families of plane crash victims
RIYADH: King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman each sent messages of condolence and sympathy to Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday, after the tragic crash of a passenger plane.
The King and the crown prince also extended their heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives onboard the Azerbaijan Airlines plane, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
On Wednesday morning, the passenger plane, traveling from Azerbaijan to Russia, crashed near Aktau, western Kazakhstan, with 62 passengers and five crew members on board.
Kazakh authorities announced that 28 people had survived.
KSrelief chief meets Palestinian ambassador to Saudi Arabia
- Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah and Mazen Ghoneim discussed Saudi humanitarian efforts to support Palestinians in Gaza
RIYADH: The supervisor-general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, met the Palestinian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mazen Ghoneim on Wednesday in Riyadh.
Al-Rabeeah and Ghoneim discussed Saudi humanitarian efforts to support Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Ghoneim expressed his gratitude to KSrelief and praised its strong relationship with the Palestinian people, the SPA added.
KSrelief initiated various projects to support Palestinian hospitals and humanitarian efforts in the Gaza Strip during the ongoing Israeli war.
Earlier in December, KSrelief sent 20 fully equipped ambulances to boost the health sector in Gaza.
It also distributed aid and food parcels that benefited nearly 3,500 Palestinians, some of whom were displaced in the Gaza Strip.
Saudi-Qatari security, military committee meeting held in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia’s Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani chaired the second meeting of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council’s Security and Military Committee in Riyadh on Wednesday.
During the meeting, they discussed ways to enhance cooperation in areas of common interest, to achieve the aspirations of the two nations’ leaders and people, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Saud praised the efforts made by both sides to achieve joint initiatives.
Saudi-French writing residency yields ‘Saleeg and Baguette’ play at Riyadh Theater Festival
- Work developed by young Saudi playwright Ghada Aboud
- She seeks to promote ‘understanding’ between cultures
RIYADH: The Riyadh Theater Festival, concluding on Dec. 26, has shone a spotlight on “Saleeg and Baguette,” a play that presents a fusion of the cultures of Saudi Arabia and France, and which comments on the financial tribulations of a married couple.
Organized by the Theater and Performing Arts Commission and supported by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture, the festival is being held at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University. The play was among the works selected by a committee of experts for its relevance and artistic merit.
The thought-provoking show was developed by young Saudi playwright Ghada Aboud, who received a grant from the French Ministry of Culture to take part in a Franco-Saudi artistic residency at La Chartreuse, the National Centre for Performance Writing.
Aboud told Arab News: “I am a Saudi writer who has dedicated her life to publishing novels, films and plays that help people empathize with themselves and others and reconcile their contradictions, because in the end we are all human.”
The play focuses on the unstable marriage of Rima and Khaled, a young couple facing financial difficulties linked to the hotel Rima inherited from her mother.
Throughout the play, the couple have to overcome the tensions and pressures of their precarious economic situation.
Their story highlights the difficulties inherent in modern relationships, where financial problems can exacerbate conflicts and test the strength of their union.
Through poignant dialogue and tense moments, the writer explores themes of love, responsibility and survival, while reflecting on the expectations and dreams of young couples that are often dashed.
Faced with their own personal problems and frustrations, the characters see the hotel as a miraculous solution to their worries. They believe that by investing in this new venture they will escape their everyday difficulties and make a fresh start.
Speaking about her inspiration for the story, Aboud said: “In the current financial climate, pressures are weighing heavily on individuals, particularly couples.
“This can lead to the breakdown of marriages and families. I chose to test the couple’s bond by exposing them to a financial problem. Will their marriage be strengthened or broken by financial difficulties?”
However, the hotel, instead of solving their problems, exposes new layers of complexity and conflict.
“Writing is about sharing experiences and cultural influences on creativity. My residency at La Chartreuse with Odyssee allowed me to exchange my culture with French theater artists and to experience French theater and culture,” Aboud added.
“It’s important to me to create a narrative that promotes understanding between cultures, particularly France. Given the cultural cooperation between Saudi Arabia and France, I’m looking to show the common human elements between the different nationalities.”
Aboud uses dark humor as a tool to explore the complexities of married life and human relationships. By tackling serious themes in a light-hearted way, she creates a space where the audience can reflect on sensitive subjects without feeling overwhelmed.
“My aim as an author is to make the audience laugh and cry. I try to balance bittersweet and sweet themes through dark comedy. This creates empathy, self-pity, reflection and reconciliation,” she said.
“My dream is to present my work to French audiences,” Aboud added. “I will try to find ways to present it in France and highlight the shared human experiences between Saudi Arabia and France.
“I hope to draw attention to the financial burdens and problems of marriage, as well as the fusion of Saudi and French music.”
KSrelief’s health aid benefits six countries
- The center’s projects supported thousands of people across Turkiye, Yemen, Poland, Nigeria, Sudan and Mauritania
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief has health projects supporting thousands of people across Turkiye, Yemen, Poland, Nigeria, Sudan and Mauritania.
In Turkiye, KSrelief recently completed a week-long neurosurgery project in Hatay, delivering 1,062 services to 403 patients.
In Yemen’s Hadramout governorate, a 14-member team provided orthopedic care, examined 152 patients, performed 59 surgeries, and completed 68 physiotherapy sessions in one week.
The Aden governorate had a week-long urology project with nine specialists examining 53 people and performing 109 surgeries.
In Poland, KSrelief fitted prosthetic limbs and provided rehabilitation for 32 Ukrainian refugees in Rzeszow in one week, utilizing innovative Direct Socket technology.
In Nigeria, KSrelief’s Saudi Noor project staff treated 4,000 patients, performed 423 eye surgeries, and distributed 1,000 prescription glasses.
In Sudan, a week-long pediatric surgery project in Port Sudan had specialists treat 36 children and complete 54 surgeries.
In Mauritania, a 10-day urological project in Nouakchott had eight doctors perform 80 specialized surgeries.
