RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s envoy in New Delhi on Saturday said reports that two Saudi nationals had been killed in a prison fight in eastern India has turned out to be false.
“No Saudi national has been killed inside an Indian jail as claimed by the reports published in the Indian press,” said the Saudi Ambassador to India Saud Mohammed Alsati via phone from New Delhi, on Saturday.
Press reports quoting a police official said two of three prisoners who died in the fight were Saudis.
P. Doungel, the state's director general of police, was quoted as saying the incident took place just before dawn at the Manipur central jail in the state capital Imphal.
The report said two Saudis identified as Sushak Yusuf Ahmed and Abdus Salam killed another inmate named Thangmilian Zou Bobon, provoking a fight with other inmates and resulting in the duo’s deaths.
Ambassador Alsati, however, senior Indian officials have denied the reports.
“I checked with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and other officials and found that the news is completely false. In fact, there was not even a single Saudi prisoner in India as of today,” he added.
He said that the Kingdom and India enjoyed cordial relations in all spheres.
Saudi Arabia is home to over three million Indian expatriates. A large number of Indian prisoners are currently serving sentences in different jails across the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia is the fourth largest trade partner of India, besides being a major source of its energy. The two-way trade between Riyadh and New Delhi is worth approximately $27 billion. Furthermore, a large number of Saudis travel to different Indian destinations for business and tourism every year.
No truth to report of 2 Saudis killed in India prison fight — envoy
No truth to report of 2 Saudis killed in India prison fight — envoy
Saudi, South Korean officials discuss infrastructure ties
RIYADH: Mayor of Riyadh Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf met with South Korea’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Sangwoo Park on Tuesday to discuss greater cooperation in infrastructure development.
The two officials explored potential collaboration on infrastructure modernization and development, as well as the exchange of expertise in urban planning, land management, transport and sustainable development.
They also reviewed current plans to ensure environmental sustainability in infrastructure projects, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The South Korean minister congratulated Prince Faisal on Riyadh’s successful bid to host Expo 2030.
The meeting was part of a series of discussions Prince Faisal is holding with public and private sector officials aimed at strengthening international cooperation in infrastructure and smart city initiatives.
KSrelief’s Masam Project clears 1,579 explosive devices in Yemen
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Masam Project, run by its aid agency KSrelief, dismantled 1,579 explosive devices across various governorates in Yemen between Sept. 28 and Oct. 4.
These included 1,442 unexploded ordnances, 126 anti-tank mines, six other devices, and five anti-personnel mines, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
Since its inception, the project has removed 465,252 explosive devices from the country.
Saudi Arabia, through KSrelief, remains dedicated to eliminating these dangers, which continue to pose a severe threat to civilians.
These devices have already killed and injured several children, women and the elderly in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief supports 13,300 Yemenis in education initiative
RIYADH: The second phase of the “Back to School” project in Yemen, funded by Saudi Arabia through its aid agency KSrelief, has supported 13,300 people across Hajjah, Abyan, Hadhramaut, and Perim Island in Taiz.
Running from Sept. 17, 2023, to Sept. 16, 2024, the project provided 95 classrooms equipped with chairs, whiteboards, lighting, and solar-powered fans.
It also distributed 1,900 school uniforms and bags with supplies.
In addition, KSrelief supported local women by training them to manufacture 950 bags, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
Saudi aid agency KSrelief boosts medical services in Egypt, Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp
- Various clinics provide pediatric, eye, dental, emergency treatments, and open-heart surgeries for needy people
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has stepped up its healthcare services to reach more beneficiaries in Egypt and Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp.
KSrelief’s clinics provided comprehensive medical services to 2,564 Syrian refugees at Jordan’s Zaatari camp during the last week of September, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
During this period, the general medicine clinics treated 680 patients, and the internal medicine clinic saw 79 patients with diabetes, hypertension, and asthma.
The pediatric, emergency, dental and two gynecology clinics attended to 318 children, 314 patients, 109 patients, and 220 females, respectively, at the camp.
Also, the ear, nose, and throat clinic saw 43 patients with various infections. In addition, the eye, cardiology and diagnostic radiology clinics treated 80, 20 and 31 patients.
The health education department served 72 beneficiaries, and 2,340 medical prescriptions were filled at the pharmacy.
A team of volunteers including 14 specialist doctors performed 28 pediatric heart surgeries in Alexandria, Egypt, from Sept. 24 to 30.
The procedures included 23 open-heart surgeries and five cardiac catheterizations, all performed with a 100 percent success rate, said the SPA.
The project was a part of KSrelief’s efforts to provide critical healthcare services to people in need across the world.
“The surgeries were part of a volunteer medical project aimed at providing life-saving heart procedures for children from low-income families,” reported the SPA.
Saudi aid agency KSrelief provides food aid in South Sudan, Syria, Kyrgyzstan
- 3,700 families benefited from KSrelief food aid in South Sudan including the displaced, elderly, and people with special needs
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief recently distributed food aid to vulnerable communities in South Sudan, Syria and Kyrgyzstan, according to separate reports from the Saudi Press Agency over the past few days.
In Syria, 6,870 earthquake-affected individuals in Idlib received 1,310 food packages and 1,310 hygiene kits.
As a part of KSrelief’s Food Basket Distribution Project in Bahr El-Ghazal state, South Sudan, 3,700 families benefited including the displaced, elderly, and people with special needs.
The aid agency also provided 435 food parcels in Talas, Kyrgyzstan, benefiting 2,175 individuals. This is a part of the 2024 food aid distribution project that aims to secure 8,100 packages for 35,000 individuals.
“This effort is part of a series of relief and humanitarian projects provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through KSrelief to support needy and affected groups worldwide,” the SPA reported.
