Illegal expats return to Kilo 8 bridge

Many illegal residents are again gathering under the Kilo 8 bridge, south of Jeddah, despite warnings from the authorities to stay away from the area.
There have also been complaints that these people are causing garbage to pile up in the area.
Most of the expatriates are from Sudan, Yemen, Pakistan, Bangladesh and some African countries.
Many have come to the area because they want to perform Haj. The extended amnesty period ends on Nov. 3, after the Haj season ends.
Zaid Al-Hanzi, a spokesman of the Passport Department, said: “We have carried out many raids there in coordination with a number of government bodies and arrested many people. The amnesty period does not mean we'll be lenient with violators,” he said.
Many of the violators under the bridge said they are waiting to complete their documentation at their consulates to leave the country. Most of them do not have passports and identify documents.
Jeddah Municipality plans to surround the site with a metal fence to prevent people entering the area. The municipality has removed kiosks selling food.
Nawaf Al-Bouq, spokesman of the Jeddah police, said: “We have cleared the site many times. However, residency violators go back again. It is important for citizens to inform us of these violators.”