Foreign gunmen posing as Haj pilgrims arrested

Riyadh: The Saudi armed forces have arrested gunmen, who attempted to infiltrate into Saudi territories together with a group of Al Houthi rebels, posing as Haj pilgrims. These gunmen, caught in their Ihram dress, belong to Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Somalia, according to Saudi security sources. “Saudi special forces foiled their bid to enter the Saudi territories in order to carry out attacks. A huge cache of weapons and ammunition was seized from them following a shootout,” they said adding that the gun claimed that they were pilgrims heading for Makkah to perform the annual pilgrimage of Haj.

Meanwhile, Saudi forces deterred an air raid by Al Houthi rebels using Katyusha missiles targeting Saudi civil defense building in Ain Al Harra region. In a statement placed on website, Al Houthis, however, claimed that they pounded the army base of Ain Al Harrah in Jizan region with Katyusha missiles, igniting fire inside the base.

Saudi military sources said that Saudi jet fighters resumed their attacks Sunday night, bombarding the hideouts of infiltrators along the border. There was relative calm in day time Monday but air operations against the border area are continuing without any break. The Saudi forces are widely adopting a strategy to carry out intensive air raids during night time targeting rebels, who prefer to move in the cover of darkness. Saudi authorities have said airstrikes and shelling will continue until infiltrators withdraw tens of kilometers from the Saudi-Yemeni border.

Speaking to Gulf News, a military official said that the infiltrators are exploiting the Saudi Telecom Company’s (STC) network for their communication purposes. “The STC network covers a larger area on the Yemeni side of the border parallel to the southern Saudi regions of Jizan, Aseer and Najran. They are also misusing Al Thurayya satellite network,” he said adding that attempts of infiltration by Al Houthi rebels continued unabated. “Our forces are detaining several armed infiltrators on a daily basis, and most of these infiltrations take place during night time especially from across the rebel strongholds on the northern Yemeni border province of Saada,” he said.

In a related incident, Saudi forces are reportedly destroyed a media center used by rebels based at a fort in Jabal Razih. “Mohammad Abdul Salam Abu Yasir, the so called Al Houthi media spokesman, and his 30 aides were killed in the attack,” Saudi media sources reported from the war front.

Grand Mufti calls for special prayers to defeat rebels

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Al Sheikh called for the people in the Kingdom to extend unflinching support to the nation’s army with all means, especially through prayer. In remarks, carried by Saudi local press, the Grand Mufti also lambasted Iran for supporting the rebels. “The cooperation of Iranians with Al Houthis is a cooperation of sin and aggression,” he said while urging Iranians to safeguard Sunnis in Iran and protect them from being victims of injustice and aggression.