RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Monday joined international calls for a cease-fire as fierce fighting raged between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces, sparking hostile words from neighboring Turkey.
“We are following with great concern the developments of the situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to cease-fire and resolve the conflict by peaceful means in accordance with the relevant (UN) Security Council resolutions,” an official Saudi statement said.
The EU warned regional powers not to interfere in the conflict and condemned the “serious escalation” that threatened regional stability.
In addition to the EU and Russia, France, Germany, Italy, and the US also urged a cease-fire.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia was monitoring the situation closely and that the current priority was to “stop the hostilities, not to deal with who is right and who is wrong.”
But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded Armenia end its “occupation” of Karabakh. “The time has come for the crisis in the region that started with the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh to be put to an end. Now Azerbaijan must take matters into its own hands,” he said.
Armenia has accused Turkey of meddling in the conflict and sending mercenaries to back Azerbaijan.
The clashes over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh are the heaviest since 2016, with reports of dozens of deaths and hundreds wounded.
Karabakh’s Defense Ministry said 27 fighters were killed in fighting on Monday, bringing their total military losses to 58.
The overall death toll rose to 67 including nine civilian deaths: Seven in Azerbaijan and two on the Armenian side.
Azerbaijan has not reported any military casualties, but Armenian separatist officials released footage showing burnt-out armored vehicles and the bloodied and charred remains of soldiers in camouflage it said were Azerbaijani troops.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Monday ordered partial military mobilization and Gen. Mais Barkhudarov vowed to “fight to the last drop of blood in order to completely destroy the enemy and win.”
Armenia’s ambassador to Moscow said Turkey had sent around 4,000 fighters from northern Syria to Azerbaijan and that they were fighting there, an assertion denied by an aide to Aliyev.
Armenia also said Turkish military experts were battling alongside Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous breakaway region of Azerbaijan run by ethnic Armenians, and that Turkey had provided drones and warplanes.
Concern that Turkey could get more involved in the conflict helped drag its currency to a record low against the dollar on Monday.
Turkey has already used Syrian fighters to help block an assault on Tripoli earlier this year by the eastern-based Libyan National Army forces of Khalifa Haftar.
Their latest deployment would create a third theater for Turkey’s regional rivalry with Moscow, which has a military base in Armenia, considers it a strategic partner in the South Caucasus, and supplies it with weapons.
Two Syrian rebels said Ankara was sending Syrian rebel fighters to support Azerbaijan. The two fighters, from Turkish-backed rebel groups in areas of northern Syria under Turkish control, said they were deploying to Azerbaijan in coordination with Ankara.
“I didn’t want to go, but I don’t have any money. Life is very hard and poor,” said a fighter who had fought in Syria for Ahrar Al-Sham, a group that Turkey has supported.
Both men said they had been told by their Syrian brigade commanders they would earn around $1,500 a month, a large wage for Syria where the economy and currency have collapsed.
The fighter said he had arranged his assignment with an official from the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) in Afrin, a region of northwest Syria seized by Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies two years ago.
The other fighter, from the SNA-affiliated Jaysh Al-Nukhba militia, said he had been told nearly 1,000 Syrians were set to be deployed to Azerbaijan. Other rebels gave figures of between 700 and 1,000.
Saudi Arabia calls for ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan
https://arab.news/yv437
Saudi Arabia calls for ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan
- Turkey is accused of sending mercenaries to back Azerbaijan
KSrelief sends food and shelter aid to Pakistan and Sudan
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has sent food and shelter aid to Pakistan and Sudan, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
A total of 450 shelter bags were distributed in Sudan’s El-Gadarif state, benefiting 2,588 individuals.
In Pakistan’s Pakhtunkhwa province 710 food baskets for 4,970 individuals were handed to vulnerable families in flood-affected areas. This was a part KSrelief’s Food Security Support Project in Pakistan 2024.
World Red Cross, Red Crescent day marked with conferences, exhibitions
- Event is celebrated worldwide every May 8 to highlight the life-saving role played by the organizations
RIYADH: The Saudi Red Crescent Authority marked World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day this week with various events, exhibitions and conferences in the Kingdom.
The SRCA’s activities included marches on the main roads of several governorates as well as lectures and training courses to raise community awareness.
The day is celebrated on May 8 every year to emphasize the importance of alleviating the suffering of people worldwide, especially in countries afflicted by conflict and natural disasters.
In the Eastern Province, the SRCA in collaboration with Alasala College in Dammam, held a series of awareness events on the vital humanitarian work carried out by both organizations.
Those attending had the opportunity to observe medical workers undertake a drill using ambulances for emergencies under difficult circumstances.
There was also an exhibition featuring the latest emergency medical equipment and information provided when using the hotline number 997.
Lectures were delivered on topics including risks associated with overcrowding, the importance of allowing unimpeded access for ambulances, and guidelines for handling different emergency situations.
Visitors were also introduced to volunteering opportunities, training programs, and the Family Links initiative.
In the northwestern province of Tabuk, the SRCA’s Director-General Nawaf bin Mayah Al-Anazi led the celebration, with awareness programs and skills training at Tabuk Park Mall.
(With SPA)
Saudi Ministry of Tourism closes 40 facilities in Asir region for various violations
- Tourism operators had been warned of heavy penalties if they do business before obtaining the necessary licenses.
ABHA: The Saudi Ministry of Tourism recorded more than 350 violations during its inspection tours of hospitality facilities in the Asir region, closing 40 of them.
It addressed about 270 complaints regarding the services provided in facilities such as hotels and serviced apartments, as part of the Our Guests Are A Priority campaign during the first quarter of 2024.
The ministry’s supervisory teams conducted about 650 supervisory and inspection tours of hospitality facilities.
The tours were part of ongoing efforts to enhance the tourism sector in all regions of the Kingdom, in addition to ensuring the quality of services provided by various types of hospitality facilities to visitors and tourists.
The ministry said it would impose the strictest penalties on those who engaged in activities before obtaining the necessary licenses. It also said it would not be lenient in imposing regulatory penalties on violators, the closure of the facility in question, or both penalties in some cases.
KSrelief provides free eye treatment in Sri Lanka
- 8-day mission in cooperation with the International Sight Foundation
COLOMBO: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has provided 200 eye surgeries in its ongoing campaign in the Sri Lanka town of Kattankudy, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
Staffers of the “Saudi Noor Volunteer Program to Combat Blindness” have also examined 2,000 individuals so far.
The campaign, in cooperation with the International Sight Foundation, started May 4 and will conclude on May 11, the SPA stated.
The mission is a part of KSrelief’s aid efforts in several countries worldwide.
2 Saudi students among top coding winners in Apple’s Swift Student Challenge
- Afrah bin Jubeir “Fin’s Adventure” app is not just an entertaining game but also an educational tool to promote awareness of maritime environment
- Jawaher Al-Anzi's "My Child” app aims to help children with speech impediments and was inspired by her own story
RIYADH: Two Saudi students have used their skills in coding and app creation to put social issues under the spotlight.
Afrah bin Jubeir and Jawaher Al-Anzi recently showcased their abilities in Apple’s Swift Student Challenge, where they were named among the top coding winners.
“This challenge offers us a platform to acquire skills that are applicable in the real world, and I am very excited to share the solutions and innovations I developed,” said Jubeir. “It is an opportunity not only to boost my knowledge and skills but also to make a positive impact in the tech community.”
Passionate about the sea and marine life, the 26-year-old created an app called “Fin’s Adventure.” It was developed not only as an entertaining game but also an educational tool to promote awareness of maritime environment matters and the importance of preserving the oceans.
“The game revolves around a fish character named ‘Fin’ who tries to survive in an ocean filled with plastic pieces,” Jubeir told Arab News. “The player will have to help Fin avoid these threats and promote awareness of the importance of keeping the oceans clean.”
The inspiration behind “Fin’s Adventure” came after Jubeir attended a conference where she noticed games had significant capabilities to convey educational messages and raise awareness.
She designed the game to be exciting and educational, introducing players to the negative impacts of plastic pollution and encouraging them to take small steps towards a more sustainable lifestyle.
“Owing to its fun and interactive delivery method, the game attracts both kids and adults, making it an effective tool that contributes to changing behaviors in the long run,” she said.
Jubeir began her vocational training in September 2023 when she joined the Apple Developer Academy. A nine-month program enhanced her software skills and understanding of advanced technologies, before she decided to apply to the Swift Student Challenge.
She said other students considering an application should ensure they understood the necessary requirements first. They should start with a unique idea addressing a specific problem, before going on to develop a seamless design and attractive user experience.
“Ask for feedback from your friends and acquaintances to improve your project and remember that any challenge you face is an opportunity to learn and progress. Even if you don’t win, the opportunity itself adds to your experiences and teaches you,” she said.
Al-Anzi, a 27-year-old from Riyadh, competed against 350 other students from 35 countries and was named one of 50 Distinguished Winners in the challenge.
Her app, “My Child,” aims to help children with speech impediments and was inspired by her own story.
As a child, following the death of her grandfather, she developed a stutter. She eventually overcame it and, years later, began training at the Apple Developer Academy in Riyadh.
“It took around a month to build the application, from coming up with the idea to executing it,” she told Arab News.
“The application will contribute to solving stuttering among all members of the community of different ages. Hopefully, in the near future, it will be available for download on the App Store.”
She said her experience of participating in the Apple competition paved the way for her app creation.
“It’s an opportunity to create an application and learn how to build projects and new techniques, in addition to creating an application that contributes to helping society as a whole.”
Asked what advice she would give others hoping to follow in her footsteps, she said it would be the same advice that was given in the Apple academy: “Everyone can code.”
