RIYADH: World leaders condemned the barbaric act of terrorism during noon prayers at a mosque in Qatif on Friday.
A powerful suicide bomb blast at Imam Ali Mosque in Al-Qadeeh village in Qatif left 21 worshippers dead and more than 100 injured.
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa expressed his condolences and sympathy to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, stressing his strong condemnation of this cowardly terrorist act which is criminalized by all divine laws and contradicts all human norms and values.
King Salman received a telephone call on Sunday from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who expressed his condolences at the death of worshippers.
Sudanese President Omar Bashir expressed condolences to the families of the victims, beseeching Allah the Almighty to accept the martyrs, bestow patience on their relatives, provide a quick recovery to the injured and preserve King Salman and the Saudi people.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said: “I would like to stress that any terrorist activity, no matter who does it and for what purpose, is a blow to peace and humanity. I take this opportunity to reiterate that Bangladesh denounces terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reaffirm that our government has been following and will follow a ‘zero tolerance’ policy toward terrorism. I express my government’s determination to continue to work with Saudi Arabia and the world community to fight against terrorism.”
A statement issued by the government of Pakistan said: “We strongly condemn this deadly attack in a mosque and share the grief of the brotherly people of Saudi Arabia.”
The International Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the bombing and stressed its total support for the efforts of the Kingdom in confronting all forms and acts of terrorism and extremism.
Tobias Ellwood, British parliamentary undersecretary of state (North America, the Middle East and North Africa), said: “I strongly condemn the attack in Al-Qadeeh. I offer my sincere condolences to Saudi Arabia, especially the families and loved ones of the victims of such appalling violence. There can be no place for such barbarity in our societies and the UK stands firmly with Saudi Arabia at this terrible time.”
Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi strongly condemned the bombing, stressing that the Kingdom will overcome the scourge of terrorism.
World stands united against terrorism
World stands united against terrorism
Saudi Public Security to issue Makkah entry permit instructions on Saturday ahead of Hajj season
- General Directorate of Passports also said it had begun to issue electronic entry permits for workers in Makkah
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Public Security said on Friday that it would issue instructions for residents wishing to obtain permission to enter Makkah ahead of Hajj season on Saturday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
It also said any Saudi residents wishing to obtain a permit must do so from the relevant authorities and that those who fail to get the necessary permits will be prevented from entering the holy city.
Also on Friday, in an attempt to streamline entry procedures for residents during the Hajj season, the General Directorate of Passports said it had begun to issue electronic entry permits for workers in Makkah.
The digital service, facilitated through the Ministry of Interior’s online platform Absher and the Muqeem portal, will remove the need for in-person visits to passport offices and will allow those seeking entry permits to submit documents online.
Joint Saudi-US ‘Protection Shield IV’ drill begins
- The drill sought to heighten awareness of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear risks
DHAHRAN: In a display of strategic cooperation, the Eastern Region Command in Dhahran orchestrated the latest iteration of the joint Saudi-US exercise, “Protection Shield 4.”
Bringing together branches of the Saudi Armed Forces, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), and a consortium of civilian and military government entities—including the Ministry of Defense’s health services, the General Directorate of Civil Defense, the Ministry of Health, and the Saudi Red Crescent Authority—the drill aimed to bolster preparedness against potential threats of mass destruction.
Colonel Turki bin Salem Al-Sumairi, overseeing the participating mixed battalion, underscored the drill’s dual purpose: to enhance the operational capabilities of all involved and to foster seamless collaboration between Saudi and US forces. Furthermore, the drill sought to heighten awareness of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear risks.
Field exercises formed the crux of the event, testing the efficacy of national response plans in confronting scenarios involving weapons of mass destruction. Additionally, coordination and information exchange mechanisms were scrutinized to ensure swift and effective joint responses.
Simulated ammunition was employed during the drills to simulate crisis scenarios arising from the deployment of weapons of mass destruction. Meanwhile, health services units from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Health, the Civil Defense, and the Saudi Red Crescent engaged in drills aimed at enhancing collaborative efforts and refining responses to chemical and biological incidents.
Asir region is first with launch of tourism identity
- Prince Turki said the slogan “Karam Al-Arouma” was inspired by the generosity and welcoming nature of the people of the region
Saudi Arabia’s Asir region has become the first in the Kingdom to create a regional tourism identity, accompanied by the slogan “Karam Al-Arouma,” or “the generosity of the people of Asir.”
Asir Gov. Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, who also heads the Asir Region Development Authority, launched the identity at an official ceremony organized by the authority and hosted by the Rijal Heritage Village in Rijal Almaa governorate.
“This identity has been in the works for quite a while. It’s a very exciting day for us to finally unveil this to the world. It’s going to help our marketing efforts both domestically and internationally,“ Hashim Al-Dabbagh, the authority’s CEO, told Arab News.
“The vision of the Asir region is to be a preeminent destination year-round, and having our own identity is a step in that direction,” he said.
Asir is seeking to become a global destination throughout the year, based on its authentic culture and wide range of natural attractions.
Prince Turki said the slogan “Karam Al-Arouma” was inspired by the generosity and welcoming nature of the people of the region.
The identity was supported by the launch of the “Discover Asir” tourism website under the umbrella of “Visit Saudi,” which will provide tourist information.
Saudi Justice Ministry to host training conference
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Justice is to hold the International Conference of Judicial Training in Riyadh from May 6-7.
The Judicial Training Center hosts the event which will see the participation of several international training institutes, centers, and experts in the field of judicial and legal training. The objective is to facilitate the exchange of experiences and deliberations on contemporary trends in the era of digital transformation.
Called “The Future of Judicial Training in the Era of Digital Transformation,” the event will delve into the prospects of training in the future. It will explore paths for enhancing training content; strategies for harnessing modern technology; artificial intelligence in judicial training; and effective methodologies for measuring the training’s impact.
Saudi energy minister attends Tashkent International Investment Forum
TASHKENT: Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman on Thursday participated in the primary dialogue session at the third Tashkent International Investment Forum.
In the presence of the president of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the energy minister highlighted the distinguished relations between the two nations, emphasizing the leadership’s strong commitment to enhancing and expanding cooperation across all sectors, particularly energy.
The partnership aims to benefit both countries and their citizens.
