Border guards on the southern border of the Kingdom with Yemen are doing a commendable job in protecting the country infiltrators and smugglers.

Local media recently monitored the movement on the southern border, west of Al-Khoba district which is rough terrain for the most part and experiences harsh weather conditions.

These conditions have made the border guards along the southern borders of the Kingdom experts in gauging weather conditions and negotiating the rough terrain. They are now seasoned in defining directions and the time of tracks formed by people on foot or tires of vehicles. This skill gained by experience has enabled them to follow the tracks of infiltrators and smugglers and lead to their arrest.

The border guards also have the ability to predict the weather which makes a great deal of difference to their performance because they deal with a constantly changing environment especially since the smugglers often take advantage of the adverse weather conditions to sneak through the border.

Border guards have a humanitarian mission such as rescuing people from drowning and conducting first aid to sick infiltrators before transferring them to hospitals.

Their work continues under all circumstances, for they are the first line of defense to warn people against flash floods that sweep the country from Yemen. Relevant authorities inside the Kingdom are notified to take all precautionary measures and warn inhabitants of border villages and give them aid if the need arises.

Border guards have air support to provide quick support and border control if necessary, in addition to control towers that are spread along the frontier.

The ambush which is made up of two officers has caught more than 40 infiltrators at one stage thanks to the experience of border guards and their ability to sense the presence of smugglers or infiltrators.

The average number of infiltrators caught monthly on the southern border in Jazan is 700. The daily average catch of hashish on the border reaches 40 kilograms, in addition to frustrating attempts at smuggling ammunition, firearms and hundreds of tons of qat and other prohibited materials such as fireworks and livestock.

Press spokesman for the border guards in Jazan Col. Abdullah bin Mahfouth said the rate of smuggling through the border increases significantly with the start of Ramadan. He said that last week registered the highest number of smuggling attempts through the border since the beginning of the year.

Border guards are always on high alert and enjoy high levels of precision and accuracy, and each officer aware of his tasks.

Ibn Mahfouth said border guards enjoy unlimited support from the Minister of Interior Prince Mohammad bin Naif and director general of border guards Lt. Gen. Zamim bin Jobeir Al-Sawwat.