Saudi Arabia, Arab world condemn deadly attack on Bahrain soldiers

Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa received the bodies of the fallen servicemen Lieutenant Mubarak Hashel Zayed Al Kubaisi and Corporal Yaqoub Rahmat Moulai Mohammed. (BNA)
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Updated 26 September 2023
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Saudi Arabia, Arab world condemn deadly attack on Bahrain soldiers

  • Houthis blamed for strike that killed 2, injured others near Yemen border
  • Egypt, OIC, Arab League slam those responsible, say peace talks in jeopardy

CAIRO: An attack on Saudi Arabia territory, blamed on the Houthis, that killed two Bahraini military personnel near the southern border with Yemen has been widely condemned.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry voiced its “condemnation and denunciation” of Monday’s “treacherous attack on the defense force of the Kingdom of Bahrain stationed on the southern border of the Kingdom, which resulted in the martyrdom of a number of its brave soldiers and the injury of others,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stands by Bahrain and renews its stance of rejection to the continued flow of weapons to the terrorist Houthi militia as well as calls to ban arms export to Yemeni territories,” it said.

Bahrain’s military command said a drone attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels killed the two Bahraini soldiers — one of them an officer — at Saudi Arabia’s southern border early Monday. The soldiers had been patrolling the area.

The military’s statement, carried by the state-run Bahrain News Agency, said “a number” of Bahraini soldiers were also wounded in the strike, without elaborating.

“This terrorist attack was carried out by the Houthis, who sent aircraft targeting the position of the Bahraini guards on the southern border of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia despite the halt of military operations between the warring sides in Yemen,” the statement said.

Egypt called for “concerted regional and international efforts to confront terrorism in all its forms and to put an end to practices that aim to destabilize the sisterly Arab countries.”

Condemning the “heinous terrorist attack carried out by the Houthi group” Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said the country “extends its sincere condolences and sympathy to the sisterly Kingdom of Bahrain, its leadership and people, and to the families of the victims in this great tragedy,” wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation sent its condolences to the families of the two individuals killed, and to the government and citizens of Bahrain.

Hussein Ibrahim Taha, the OIC’s secretary-general, said such provocative actions were incompatible with ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the Yemen crisis. 

Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit condemned the “continuation of the treacherous Houthi attacks despite the legitimate government’s commitment to the truce and ceasefire.”

He held “the Houthi side responsible for the continued suffering of Yemenis,” and said that the militia “stubbornly rejects all calls for peace and insists on continuing the violence and sabotage.”

The bodies of the fallen servicemen arrived on Monday at the Isa Air Base on board a Royal Bahraini Air Force aircraft, the Bahrain New Agency said.

Field Marshal Sheikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, commander-in-chief of the Bahrain Defense Force, received the bodies of Lt. Mubarak Hashel Zayed Al-Kubaisi and Cpl. Yaqoub Rahmat Moulai Mohammed.

Hopes for peace were boosted in March when Saudi Arabia struck a rapprochement deal with Iran, which has backed the Houthis.

The following month, Mohammed Al-Jaber, the Saudi ambassador to Yemen, traveled to Sanaa to meet Houthi officials in what he described as a bid to “stabilize” last year’s truce.

Last week, Houthi officials completed five days of talks in Riyadh, the first public visit by a Houthi delegation to Saudi Arabia since hostilities broke out.


Manga Productions looks to attract Japanese investment for Riyadh Season

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Manga Productions looks to attract Japanese investment for Riyadh Season

  • New pact inked with entertainment firm Sela
  • Promotions to take place at Anime Japan 2025

RIYADH: Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation, or Misk, has signed a new strategic partnership with the Saudi Arabia entertainment company Sela.

The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration with renowned Japanese companies and create new opportunities for their participation in Riyadh Season, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Potential collaborations will enable Japanese companies to engage with Saudi Arabia and international audiences through events and experiences in the Kingdom with the facilitation of Manga Productions, the SPA reported.

In 2022, Sela unveiled a 33-meter-tall statue of the anime character Grendizer, which set a Guinness World Record during Riyadh Season of that year.

This year, Manga Productions announced its official sponsorship of Anime Japan 2025, one of the world’s leading events in the creative industry.

During the event from March 22 to 25, the company’s booth will promote investment opportunities, according to the SPA.

This article also appears on Arab News Japan


Saudi Arabia condemns attempted assassination of Somali president

Updated 19 March 2025
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Saudi Arabia condemns attempted assassination of Somali president

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia condemned on Wednesday an attack that targeted the convoy of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

A roadside bomb exploded near the presidential residence on Tuesday shortly after Mohamud’s convoy left the palace grounds, but the head of state was unharmed, according to officials.

A Saudi Foreign Ministry statement said: “The Kingdom reaffirms its solidarity with the Federal Republic of Somalia and its people against all threats to its security and stability, reiterating its firm stance in rejecting all forms of violence, terrorism, and extremism.”

Reports said that up to four people had been killed, including a journalist who was in a nearby building that collapsed after the explosion.

Somali militant group Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack.

The president’s entourage was traveling to the airport to head to the frontlines in Middle Shabelle, where Mahamud is expected to oversee the military campaign against the militant group.

The Somali government has increased its effort to crush Al-Shabab in recent months in Middle Shabelle as well as other regions.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the attack and reaffirmed the global body’s commitment to Somalia’s people and government.

The British embassy in Mogadishu denounced the attack and offered condolences to the victims.

“The UK remains a steadfast partner to the Somali Government as they fight the violent extremists behind this despicable attack,” the embassy said in a statement.

Mohamud was in the Kingdom in November to attend the Extraordinary Arab and Islamic Summit in the Saudi capital Riyadh, where he reaffirmed Somalia’s support for the Palestinian people and urged for there to be a ceasefire in Gaza.


Ramadan in Saudi Arabia: Why expats love to celebrate in the ‘homeland of Islam’

Updated 18 March 2025
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Ramadan in Saudi Arabia: Why expats love to celebrate in the ‘homeland of Islam’

  • Muslim expatriates blend Saudi customs with home traditions
  • Spiritual practices and social gatherings enjoyed by people of all nationalities

RIYADH: Many Muslim expatriates in Saudi Arabia, despite being away from their families and home countries during Ramadan, cherish the time spent in the “homeland of Islam” during the holy month.

“The expats spending the holy month in the homeland of Islam are fortunate, both in terms of spiritual satisfaction and piousness as well as personal experiences, and for those who are new to the Kingdom, there is a lot to look forward to for a whole new experience,” said Nafisa Usmani, an Indian homemaker who has lived in Riyadh for more than two decades.

“You can sense the Ramadan vibes here everywhere you go. The streets at night during Ramadan are packed and everything that is dull during the day comes to life in the night,” she added.

Ramadan in Saudi Arabia has become a model of brotherhood that transcends borders and nationalities, with increased gatherings among families and friends in homes. (SPA/Supplied)

“I can say from my decades of experience here that there is no other place better than Saudi Arabia to spend time in Ramadan and celebrate its spirit including the opportunity to go to the mosque and do group Taraweeh prayers,” Usmani said.

“Ramadan is a time of great significance for Muslims and it is observed with great importance in Saudi Arabia. You also have the opportunity to go to the two holy cities — Makkah and Madinah — and perform Umrah and Ziyarah during the holy month while staying here,” she added.

Echoing the sentiments, Lebanese expat Farah Fouad said that she is very excited to celebrate yet another Ramadan in Saudi Arabia due to the special significance of the holy month in the Kingdom.

I can say from my decades of experience here that there is no other place better than Saudi Arabia to spend time in Ramadan and celebrate its spirit.

Nafisa Usmani, Indian homemaker

“Being in the heartland of Islam you can sense the Ramadan spirit here everywhere you go,” she added.

Iffat Aabroo, another Indian homemaker in Riyadh, said: “It’s very nice to spend Ramadan here. Markets are open until suhoor, there is the crowd bustling in the streets keeping the night alive and those that are shopping to prepare themselves for the Eid Al-Fitr festival.

Ramadan in Saudi Arabia has become a model of brotherhood that transcends borders and nationalities, with increased gatherings among families and friends in homes. (SPA/Supplied)

“Hotels make elaborate Ramadan tent arrangements, both delicacies as well as decorations.”

She added that Ramadan is not just a religious observance, but also a cultural phenomenon, reflected by acts of spirituality and social bonding.

Sharing her experience, Ambreen Faiz, a Pakistani writer living in Yanbu, told Arab News: “I have been living in Saudi Arabia for the past 27 years.

An Indian community iftar party in Riyadh. (Supplied)

“When I first arrived in Riyadh in 1998, I was sort of mesmerized witnessing the festivities of the holy month of Ramadan in the Kingdom. Every Muslim anxiously waits for the advent of the holy month of Ramadan.”

She added: “Many women that I know of from Pakistan become as excited as I do when the holy month arrives. We do not want to go for vacation during Ramadan and in fact want to stay in the Kingdom to welcome Ramadan and enjoy the festivities that it brings along.

“We women friends chalk out our programs of iftar parties. And we prepare Pakistani delicacies of Ramadan — chole, pakore, samose, dahi barey, fruit chaat and whatnot. Such delicacies are liked and enjoyed by all ages,” she said.

Delicacies from Iftar table of a Sri Lankan expat in Riyadh. (Supplied)

“Ramadan is very much enjoyed by the kids especially when we go to Haramain to perform Umrah,” Faiz said, adding: “I am thankful to Allah that he has blessed us with the opportunity to live in Saudi Arabia and enjoy the festivities of Ramadan.

“Ramadan in Saudi Arabia is way better than it is in the sub-continent or any other country,” said Mohammed Naeem, a Pakistani expatriate.

“I always prefer spending Ramadan here because everything is so smooth and there is so much dedication to the almighty Allah during Ramadan. People actually know the true value of the holy month and they act accordingly here.”

Delicacies from the Iftar table of a Pakistani expat. (Supplied)

Ramadan for many expatriates is often marked by a mix of traditions from home and the Kingdom.

Ifthikar Ansari, a Sri Lankan working in the Eastern Province, told Arab News: “We love staying here during Ramadan and enjoy a mix of Sri Lankan and Saudi delicacies.

“In Sri Lanka, where a significant percentage of the population observes fasting during the sacred month of Ramadan, their iftar meals are characterized by a special blend of flavors and traditions.

“A customary dish on their iftar table is a porridge made with rice and coconut, often complemented by the addition of beef or chicken, along with a spicy chili chutney.

“Bringing it to our iftar table here with dates, an essential component of an iftar meal, and some Saudi delicacies are a routine thing, and the iftar spread is further enriched with other delicacies such as cutlets, and patties,” he added.

“To quench the thirst, tropical fruit juices featuring wood apple, pineapple and king coconut are favored choices, ensuring a healthy and refreshing conclusion to the day of fasting,” Ansari said.

 


Grand Mosque in Makkah furnished with 33,000 Saudi-made luxury carpets for Ramadan

Updated 18 March 2025
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Grand Mosque in Makkah furnished with 33,000 Saudi-made luxury carpets for Ramadan

  • High-quality carpets are known for their durability and designed to handle heavy foot traffic 
  • Carpets are used on Fridays and during the month of Ramadan

MAKKAH: Saudi authorities have furnished the Grand Mosque in Makkah with thousands of luxury carpets during the holy month of Ramadan.

The General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque said that the 33,000 luxury carpets were made in Saudi Arabia, and known for their high quality, exquisite craftsmanship, and durability.

The carpets, each measuring 1.2 meters by 4 meters or 1.2 meters by 3 meters, are used on Fridays, during the month of Ramadan, and in other peak seasons, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Carpets are 1.6 cm thick and able to cope with heavy foot traffic, the SPA added.

One of the authority’s missions is to provide services and attend to the needs of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims and visitors to the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah.

The authority announced this week that it provided almost 11 million iftar meals to Umrah pilgrims and other worshippers at the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah during the first half of Ramadan, a time of worship for Muslims who fast from sunrise to sunset.


Saudi regional emirs' annual meeting reviews security and sustainable development

Updated 19 March 2025
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Saudi regional emirs' annual meeting reviews security and sustainable development

  • A number of topics were reviewed including enhancing security and stability, achieving comprehensive and sustainable development, and serving the nation

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif chaired the 32nd annual meeting of the emirs of the Kingdom’s regions at the ministry’s headquarters in Jeddah on Tuesday.

Prince Abdulaziz conveyed the greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and emphasized the directives to maintain security and facilitate all matters for citizens, residents, and visitors around the Kingdom, Saudi Press Agency reported.

During the meeting, a number of topics were reviewed including enhancing security and stability, achieving comprehensive and sustainable development, and serving the nation.