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Women cadets attend the graduation ceremony. Image Credit: Saudi Defence Ministry

Cairo: The Saudi army had celebrated the graduation of a new batch of women soldiers, the kingdom’s Defence Ministry.

Director of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces Maj.Gen. Hamed Al Omari attended the graduation ceremony of the female soldiers of the second-phase courses at the army’s women cadets’ training centre, the ministry added without specifying the number of the graduate cadets.

The graduates were seen in a video released by the ministry taking the oath of duty at the ceremony during which results and names of top cadets were also announced.

The first batch of women soldiers in the Saudi army graduated last September.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has taken several steps to boost women’s empowerment as part of dramatic reforms in the country.

In 2018, women were allowed to drive cars, ending a decades-long ban in the kingdom.