RIYADH: Border Guards recently thwarted several attempts to plant land mines, and smuggle weapons and more than half ton of hashish at the southern border, according to a Ministry of Interior security spokesman.
Law authorities also arrested several suspects after identifying attempts to illegally cross the border. Thirty smugglers were arrested, including 19 Ethiopians, seven Yemenis, three Saudis and one person of an unknown nationality, said the spokesman.
The ministry reported that 1,265 infiltrators — including 847 Yemenis, 309 Ethiopians and 16 Somalis, among others — were also arrested.
In an exchange of gunfire with smugglers, three were killed and two injured.
Military land mines, 23 weaponry pieces, and 32,160 rounds of live ammunition were seized. An estimated 607 kilograms of hashish were seized by authorities, he added.
Border Guards patrols in Al-Dayer Bani Malek Province in Jazan last Wednesday had arrested an infiltrator from the Yemeni border who planted land mines along the security patrol lanes in Damad Valley, adjacent to the border in Mt. Al-Dayer. A citizen and his wife had fallen victims to the mines in a border village.
Surveillance cameras of border patrols had succeeded in monitoring the infiltrator, who tried to enter Saudi territory. While monitoring him, it became evident that he was planting land mines by moving them with a remote control device from a distance. He was arrested and handed over to authorities.
The Interior Ministry said there is a security threat to the Saudi-Yemeni border. Threats include terrorist attempts to attack border posts, attempts to plant land mines and smuggle explosives, weapons and drugs, and attempts to threaten the lives of security and military men.