Terrorist detonates suicide vest as Saudi security forces try to make arrest 

Abdullah bin Zayed Abdulrahman Al-Bakri Al-Shehri has been listed as a wanted person by authorities in the Kingdom for the past seven years. (Supplied)
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Updated 12 August 2022
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Terrorist detonates suicide vest as Saudi security forces try to make arrest 

  • Abdullah bin Zayed Abdulrahman Al-Bakri Al-Shehri was listed as a wanted person by Saudi authorities

JEDDAH: The list of the nine wanted individuals involved in a terrorist operation that targeted a mosque for Saudi Arabia’s special emergency forces in the southwestern Asir region in 2015 has been reduced, after the Presidency of State Security announced the killing of Abdullah Al-Shehri, who has been number four on a wanted list.
The man detonated a suicide vest he was wearing when security forces attempted to arrest him in Jeddah on Friday.
The spokesman for the Presidency of State Security said that in addition to the statement issued in February 2016 regarding the announcement of a list of the nine wanted persons for the security authorities, and as an extension of the existing security follow-up, the authority was able to track down the number four on the wanted list, Abdullah bin Zayed Abdulrahman Al-Bakri Al-Shehri, during a security operation.
He had been approached by security personnel at 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday in the Al-Samer neighborhood in Jeddah. He died at the scene and a Pakistani resident and three security men with various injuries were taken to hospital to receive the necessary treatment.
Al-Shehri has been listed as a wanted person by authorities in the Kingdom for the past seven years, according to the statement. 
Security forces had tracked down the location of the terrorist and launched an operation to arrest him when he set off his suicide vest. 

With this announcement, only one wanted person remained from the announced list, Majid bin Zayed Al-Bakri Al-Shehri, who has been in hiding so far. The list included:
1. Saeed Aaidh Al-Dair Al-Shahrani, who was killed during a raid in Makkah in May 2016.
2. Taya Salem Eslam Al-Saiari was killed in a raid on his house in the Al-Yasmeen neighborhood in Riyadh in 2017.
3. Mutee Salem Islaam Al-Saiari was killed by a terrorist organization and it is believed that Taya’s sister beheaded him in a house in Al-Harazat neighborhood in Jeddah following orders from Daesh leaders after they doubted his intention to surrender to the security authorities in November 2016.
4. Abdulaziz Ahmed Mohammed Al-Bakri Al-Shehri was killed during a siege with another wanted man in the Barah area in Bisha governorate in April 2016.
5. Aqab Moajab Fazaan Al-Otaibi, who was arrested in Bisha in May 2016.
6. Mohammed Suleiman Rahyan Al-Saqri Al-Anzi was killed in a raid in Wadi Numan in Makkah in May 2016.
7. Mubarak Abdullah Fahad Al-Dosari was killed in a raid in Wadi Numan in Makkah in May 2016
8. Majid bin Zayed Al-Bakri Al-Shehri is still in hiding.
The nine terrorists affiliated with Daesh were involved in a terrorist attack that targeted worshipers at the Special Emergency Forces Command Mosque in Asir on Aug. 6, which killed 11 security officials and four Bangladeshi workers on the site, while 33 other people were injured.
The Presidency of State Security said the operation confirms the Kingdom’s determination to crack down on terrorists and ensure the safety of all citizens and residents. 


Asir launches campaign to promote organic food culture

Updated 57 min 58 sec ago
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Asir launches campaign to promote organic food culture

  • Ahmed Al-Mojathel: Our goal is to highlight the importance of organic products and foods as a safer, healthier dietary system
  • Initiative forms part of a broader strategy to promote organic food consumption throughout Saudi society

ABHA: A public awareness campaign by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture kicked off Organic Food Day 2024 in Saudi Arabia, reported Saudi Press Agency.

Ahmed Al-Mojathel, director of the ministry’s Asir branch, said: “Our goal is to highlight the importance of organic products and foods as a safer, healthier dietary system.

“We are working to enhance consumer awareness about the benefits of organic foods while encouraging innovation and excellence in organic product quality.”

The initiative forms part of a broader strategy to promote organic food consumption throughout Saudi society.

Al-Mojathel said the campaign also aimed to achieve economic and social objectives supporting the development of the organic food sector across the Kingdom.


Officials detained as investigators smash drug-smuggling operation at Al-Jouf Airport

Updated 14 November 2024
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Officials detained as investigators smash drug-smuggling operation at Al-Jouf Airport

  • 9 people arrested, including Ministry of Interior employee, 4 people associated with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and a Saudi Electricity Company worker

RIYADH: A drug smuggling operation at Al-Jouf International Airport in Saudi Arabia, in which several government and other public-sector officials allegedly were involved, has been shut down following an extensive investigation.

An official source at the Ministry of Interior said on Thursday that nine people were detained, including a ministry employee, four people associated with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and one from the Saudi Electricity Company.

Their alleged roles in the smuggling network included helping to get the drugs into the Kingdom, ensuring shipments bypassed inspections, transporting them, and concealing them in homes and at other locations.

They also engaged in the promotion and distribution of the narcotics in the country, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The amount and type of drugs involved was not immediately apparent.

The Ministry of Interior said it remains committed to confronting all threats to national security and will take stringent action against anyone who jeopardizes the safety and stability of the country.


Saudi Music Commission launches self-learn digital platform for budding musicians

Updated 14 November 2024
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Saudi Music Commission launches self-learn digital platform for budding musicians

  • MusiqAI offers interactive programs to the public and teaches skills for playing Arabic and Western instruments

RIYADH: The Saudi Music Commission has launched an interactive digital platform to teach music to enthusiasts wanting to start playing an instrument or further their musical knowledge.

MusiqAI is the first self-learn digital platform for music in Saudi Arabia and the Arab region. It offers interactive programs to the public and teaches skills for playing Arabic and Western instruments.

The platform name, which includes “AI,” the abbreviation for artificial intelligence, can be translated from Arabic as “My Music.”

The commission said in a statement that MusiqAI offers online courses and trains enthusiasts and professionals on the latest technologies in music production. It also provides accredited certificates, easy access to video streaming courses, and a self-paced learning experience, anytime and from anywhere.

MusiqAI aims to offer a unique way of learning various music genres — in Saudi Arabia and globally — whether by picking an Arabic or Western instrument such as the drums, guitar or oud, and communicating with trainers and experts on the platform.

The commission said nurturing and supporting musical talent are part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals. In March, the commission launched the Saudi Music Memory initiative to highlight the history of Saudi art and offer academically documented research for musicians and researchers.

To register on the MusiqAI platform, visit the commission website: https://music.moc.gov.sa/en 


OIC discusses draft humanitarian funds statute

Updated 14 November 2024
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OIC discusses draft humanitarian funds statute

  • It discussed the draft humanitarian funds statute
  • Taha added that it was important to make every effort to finalize the statute of these funds

JEDDAH: The general secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held a meeting of the open-ended Group of Governmental Experts in Jeddah on Thursday.
It discussed the draft humanitarian funds statute, in accordance with the Council of Foreign Ministers.
OIC Secretary-General Hussein Ibrahim Taha said that the meeting was held amid difficult and harsh humanitarian circumstances that required concerted efforts and collective action to adopt actions to help contain humanitarian crises and hardships.
In his speech, Taha added that it was important to make every effort to finalize the statute of these funds, undertake the necessary reforms to their working mechanism and support them with the financial resources to enable them to fulfil their role.
The statement delivered by assistant secretary-general for humanitarian, cultural and social affairs, ambassador Tariq Ali Bakhit, on behalf of OIC’s secretary-general, highlighted the significant challenges faced by member states in the humanitarian field.


KSrelief distributes shelter supplies in Afghanistan

Updated 14 November 2024
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KSrelief distributes shelter supplies in Afghanistan

  • KSrelief will distribute 4,882 shelter items, such as tents, blankets, plastic mattresses and other supplies

KABUL: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has launched a shelter project for people returning from Pakistan to Afghanistan and victims of the 2024 floods.

It will distribute 4,882 shelter items, such as tents, blankets, plastic mattresses and other supplies across the provinces of Kabul, Ghazni, Bamyan, Badakhshan, Kunduz, Baghlan, Parwan, Kapisa, Panjshir, Herat, Nimroz, Nangarhar and Laghman. The project will help 29,292 people.

The scheme is part of the Kingdom’s humanitarian and relief efforts, through its humanitarian arm, KSrelief, to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people.