Kingdom inaugurates a 900km fence along its northern border, as part of efforts to secure its vast desert frontiers.Last updated: 06 Sep 2014 18:41 |
The kingdom sent 30,000 soldiers to secure its border with Iraq in July [Reuters]
Saudi Arabia has unveiled a 900km multi-layered fence along its
border with Iraq, as part of efforts to secure the kingdom's vast desert
frontiers against infiltrators and smugglers, state media SPA has said.
King Abdullah announced the launch of the first stage of the border security programme late on Friday, which stretches from Hafr al-Batin, near the Iraq-Kuwait border to the northeast town of Turaif close to Jordan.
King Abdullah announced the launch of the first stage of the border security programme late on Friday, which stretches from Hafr al-Batin, near the Iraq-Kuwait border to the northeast town of Turaif close to Jordan.
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The project, which includes five layers of fencing equipped with
watch towers, night-vision cameras and 50 radars is aimed at cutting the
"number of infiltrators, drug, arms and cattle smugglers to zero", SPA
said.
The border programme, which was first discussed in 2006, came amid growing concern over neighbouring Iraq's deteriorating security situation.
In 2009, Riyadh signed a deal with European aerospace and defence contractors EADS to secure the Iraq border, but with increasing fears over infiltration by anti-government groups and al-Qaeda, the interior ministry expanded the scope to cover all the country's borders.
The border programme, which was first discussed in 2006, came amid growing concern over neighbouring Iraq's deteriorating security situation.
In 2009, Riyadh signed a deal with European aerospace and defence contractors EADS to secure the Iraq border, but with increasing fears over infiltration by anti-government groups and al-Qaeda, the interior ministry expanded the scope to cover all the country's borders.
The kingdom has taken huge steps to protect its 800km border with Iraq, and in July sent 30,000 soldiers to its border with Iraq after Iraqi soldiers withdrew from the area.
Saudi Arabia has also struggled to battle domestic terrorism since al-Qaeda first launched a string of attacks around a decade ago aimed at toppling the monarchy.
Saturday's announcement comes amid the advance of the Islamic State group who have seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.
Relations between Saudi Arabia and Iraq have been deeply strained since Riyadh accused outgoing Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of creating the conditions for the Islamic State group to emerge by marginalising its Sunni Arab minority.
Saudi Arabia has also struggled to battle domestic terrorism since al-Qaeda first launched a string of attacks around a decade ago aimed at toppling the monarchy.
Saturday's announcement comes amid the advance of the Islamic State group who have seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.
Relations between Saudi Arabia and Iraq have been deeply strained since Riyadh accused outgoing Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of creating the conditions for the Islamic State group to emerge by marginalising its Sunni Arab minority.
Source:
Al Jazeera And AFP
The Saudi Family betrayed the Usmaniya Khulafa, in return they were
rewarded by the colonialists with these artificial borders, now they
want to create a fence to say that these borders are not actually
artificial, and try to divide and discriminate against Muslims through
that meaningless line
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