JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has instructed the authorities to posthumously promote soldiers who died in recent battles with Yemeni infiltrators and to give their families the maximum available welfare benefits.
Military sources told Arab News that the King’s gesture would boost the morale of Saudi forces, which have been fighting to protect the Kingdom’s southern border with Yemen.
King Abdullah also instructed that the son of a slain soldier be given his father’s job, that his family be given SR1 million and that they are provided with suitable housing costing SR500,000.
The father and mother of the dead soldier will also receive a monthly stipend of SR3,000. Arrangements will also be made to pay off the man’s debts of up to SR500,000.
King Abdullah has also instructed the payment of SR100,000 to every injured soldier. Those with serious injuries would be promoted to the next rank and given the highest salary of that grade. The injured will also receive honorary medals.
Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal on Saturday visited the family of Ahmed Saeed Al-Amry in Makkah’s Aziziya district. Al-Amry was killed during a battle with infiltrators. The governor also conveyed the condolences of King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan to the bereaved family. Prince Khaled said the Saudi leadership values the huge role played by the slain officers in defending the Kingdom’s borders.
Meanwhile, Saudi authorities have adopted several foolproof measures to prevent infiltrators from entering the Kingdom’s southern border with Yemen.
Sources also told Arab News that the standoff with Yemeni intruders would not last long. The sources said Saudi Armed forces are continuing their operation in valleys, farms and deserted houses to arrest infiltrators who try to sneak into the Kingdom’s border to take weapons, which have been stored in hideouts.
“The weapons include mortars, RPGs, light weapons and bombs which the infiltrators use to attack Saudi forces,” one source said.
Saudi forces continued their operations in the night, using F-15, Apachi and Tornado fighter jets in addition to Bradley armored fighting vehicles to track down the infiltrators.
The sources described the Yemeni infiltrators as supporters of the Al-Qaeda network, adding that the Saudi forces would continue their pounding of the border area including Jabal Al-Dukhan and Jabal Al-Dood to flush them out.
