The remains of people found at a site developed by an oil refinery would be moved to a public graveyard in Jazan, an official source said.

“The Permanent Committee for Research and Ifta under the chairmanship of Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh has approved the exhumation of ancient graves discovered on the land allocated for Saudi Aramco’s Jazan Refinery,” said Ali Zaala, spokesman of the Jazan Governorate.

Jazan Gov. Prince Muhammad bin Nasser had issued an order to seek the Ifta committee’s expert opinion about the proposal from the Economic Cities Authority to move the bodies.

The ancient graves were discovered while the refinery was developing the land allocated for it by the economic city.

Zaala said two members of the committee, Ahmed Al-Mubaraki and Abdullah Al-Khanin, visited the area to inspect the graves, with representatives from the governor’s office, the police, presidency of courts, the provincial branch of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, Jazan mayor’s office, Saudi Aramco, the Economic Cities Authority and senior citizens of the locality. The committee prepared a report on the matter.