LOC22:42
19:42 GMT
RIYADH, Oct 23 (KUNA) -- Saudi Arabia's Assistant Minister of Defense and
Aviation and Inspector General for Military Affairs Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan
Ibn Abdulaziz said Saturday the security situation along the border line with
Yemen has been brought back to normal.
Speaking to reporters here one day after his tour of the southern province
of Jazan, Prince Khalid said the tour aimed to verify the efficacy of the
security measures and the preparedness of the Saudi Armed Forces.
The tour coincided with the first anniversary of the major military
campaign against militant infiltrators from the southern neighbor.
"The Saudi Army Corps of Engineers managed to open roads in the mountainous
area within three years; this is an unrivalled achievement which can't be done
even by specialized global firms," he affirmed.
"The Saudi Armed Forces will continue building the capacity of the
personnel and acquiring the latest military equipment," Prince Khalid said,
noting that the recent military training course in sisterly Egypt was part of
this endeavor.
The area had been the scene of fierce fighting between the Saudi forces and
the militant infiltrators mainly belonging to Houthis - a separatist Shiitre
militia based in northern Yemen.
Dozens of casualties from both sides fell during the fighting before the
enforcement of a ceasefire under which the Houthi rebels pulled back from
Saudi areas and Yemeni government pledged to tighten its security grip on the
northern borders. (end)
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KUNA 232242 Oct 10NNNN