Three Border Guard officers were killed on Monday in a rare suicide attack by terrorists on the Kingdom’s border with Iraq, the Interior Ministry said.
Four attackers were also killed in the clash. Two died from detonating explosive belts, while the other two were shot by Saudi officers, the ministry said on Monday.
“A border patrol in Suwaif, in the northern Arar region, came under fire from terrorist elements at 4:30 a.m.,” said Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, the ministry’s spokesman.
As security forces killed one assailant, another “detonated an explosive belt he was carrying,” killing himself and two guards and wounding another, the ministry said.
In a later statement, the ministry said three guards were killed, including Brig. Audah Al-Balawi, commander of the Border Guard in the Northern Border Region.
Al-Turki said the four assailants were “trying to cross the Saudi border.” Saudi Arabia’s top religious body, the Council of Senior Scholars, condemned the attack and reiterated its support for the government in its fight against extremist groups including Islamic State and Al-Qaeda.
The head of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, Abdullatif Al-Zayani, also condemned the attack.
Saudi Arabia shares a 800-km border with Iraq and has recently stepped up efforts to secure the frontier.
“The infiltrators were surrounded at the site after security officers killed one of them,” a source said.
One of the other terrorists signaled his wish to surrender and that he would hand himself over to Al-Balawi, who had arrived at the site with his assistant Tariq Halawi and Col. Salem Al-Atisan.
As the terrorist came close to them, he blew himself up with the explosives belt hidden under his clothes, killing Al-Balawi and Halawi. Al-Atisan, who was injured, was airlifted to a hospital in Riyadh for treatment. His condition is reportedly stable.
Al-Balawi was appointed a month ago as the commander of the Border Guard in the region after he had the same position in the Haql area of Tabuk.
Surrender treachery: 3 soldiers killed by suicide bomber at KSA-Iraq border
Surrender treachery: 3 soldiers killed by suicide bomber at KSA-Iraq border
KSrelief provides shelter, winter clothing in Lebanon, Somalia
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has distributed shelter and winter clothing to displaced people in Lebanon and Somalia, reported the Saudi Press Agency.
Orphans and those with special needs in Lebanon’s Akkar Governorate received vouchers to purchase winter clothes from approved stores.
The beneficiaries also included Syrian refugees and vulnerable members of the host community.
In Somalia, 920 shelter kits, 80 tents and 1,000 clothing kits benefited 6,000 displaced people in several camps in the Banaadir region as part of a project aiming to provide 7,600 shelter and clothing kits and 215 tents in the area.
Both initiatives are part of the ongoing humanitarian assistance provided by KSrelief to countries and people in need around the world.
Saudi foreign minister meets with US Secretary of State at Brazil G20
RIO DE JANEIRO: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations, developments in the Middle East, and the efforts being made in these regards.
The meeting was attended by the Director-General of the Office of the Foreign Minister Abdulrahman Aldawood.
Saudi Arabia FM calls for peace, addresses global challenges at G20 Summit opening
- Prince Faisal bin Farhan leads Kingdom’s delegation on behalf of crown prince
RIO DE JANEIRO: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan led the Kingdom’s delegation at the first session of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, which opened on Monday.
Prince Faisal, who is leading the delegation on behalf of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, spoke at the summit’s opening session which was called “Social Inclusion and Combating Hunger and Poverty.”
Prince Faisal highlighted pressing global challenges, noting that increasing tensions, military conflicts, and humanitarian crises were significant obstacles to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, adding: “Development and prosperity cannot be achieved on the ruins of death and destruction.”
Moving on to the ongoing crises in the Middle East, Prince Faisal pointed to Israeli military actions in Gaza and Lebanon, describing them as sources of severe human suffering and catalysts which were pushing the region toward broader conflict.
He said: “The ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza and Lebanon has caused unprecedented levels of human suffering; is pushing the region to the brink of a wider war … and is undermining the credibility of international law and institutions.”
Prince Faisal reiterated Saudi Arabia’s commitment to peace, stating the Kingdom’s unwavering stance on the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza; unrestricted access to humanitarian assistance; the release of hostages; and a serious commitment to lasting peace based on the two-state solution according to the 1967 borders, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The minister also addressed the situation in Sudan, expressing concern over the severe human toll due to the conflict, and obstacles preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid to affected communities.
In addition to political challenges, Prince Faisal commended Brazil’s initiative in launching the International Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, which aligns with Saudi Arabia’s development and humanitarian objectives. He announced the Kingdom’s participation in the alliance, which resonates with its long-standing global efforts.
He said: “The Kingdom is pleased to be part of this alliance that is in line with its development goals and its global role in this regard, which is expressed by the programs of the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid (and) the Saudi Fund for Development, in addition to its global contributions to the programs of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to support developing countries.”
The Kingdom’s delegation included Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan, Deputy Minister of Finance (Saudi Sherpa for the G20) Abdul Mohsen bin Saad Al-Khalaf, and Ambassador to Brazil Faisal bin Ibrahim Ghulam.
The G20 Summit in Brazil serves as a platform for the world’s leading economies to address global challenges and promote collective solutions aimed at fostering sustainable development and social equity.
On the sidelines of the summit, Prince Faisal met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. During their meeting they discussed US-Saudi relations, as well as regional developments and the efforts made in this regard.
Saudi defense minister meets governor of US State of Indiana
- The two discussed bilateral ties and other issues of common interest
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman met with Governor of the US state of Indiana Eric Holcomb in Riyadh on Monday.
During the meeting, the two discussed bilateral ties and other issues of common interest, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Saudi Deputy Minister of Defense Prince Abdulrahman bin Ayyaf and Chief of Staff Gen. Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili were among the Saudi officials present.
Commander-in-Chief of the Indiana National Guard Maj. Gen. Roger Lyles and head of the US Military Training Mission in the Kingdom Col. Dirk Smith were among the US officials present.
Misk City, Samsung Saudi Arabia to collaborate in smart city technology
- Partnership forms part of vision to create ‘integrated system that supports innovation and creativity among Saudi youth’
RIYADH: Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City, which is also known as Misk City, on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding with the tech giant Samsung Electronics to cooperate in the sectors of smart city technology, sustainability, and youth empowerment.
Misk City’s CEO David Henry signed the memorandum with the President of Samsung Electronics Saudi Arabia Hendrick Lee, on the sidelines of the Misk Global Forum in Riyadh, which finishes on Tuesday.
Henry said that the partnership with Samsung “represents an important step in line with Misk City’s strategic vision of creating an integrated system that supports innovation and creativity among Saudi youth,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.
He stressed the importance of working with Samsung “to create a vibrant and innovative environment that presents a unique model for smart cities.”
Lee said that Samsung’s “cooperation with Misk City represents our unified commitment to leading innovation and sustainability with the aim of developing transformative solutions that enhance urban life and empower future generations in the field of technology, which benefits our communities.”
The two parties will also collaborate on developing training programs specifically designed to hone the skills of Saudi’s youth to help enhance smart city experiences. These programs will later be hosted and delivered in Misk City, the SPA added.
Samsung Electronics is also considering setting up a showroom in Misk City to showcase its latest artificial intelligence-powered smart technologies, providing visitors with a firsthand experience of smart homes and understanding of future innovations.
