Jizan, Saudi Arabia, Asharq Al-Awsat – A reliable source from the Saudi Ministry of Defense and Aviation has announced the names of the nine Saudi soldiers who went missing during clashes with Houthi rebels in southern parts of Saudi Arabia.
The missing soldiers are:
Lieutenant Colonel Said Bin Mohammed Bin Matuq al Umri
Corporal Aaidh Bin Ali Bin Said al Shahri
Vice Sergeant Ahmed Bin Ali Bin Ali Mudadi
Sergeant Mohammed Bin Mohsen Bin Sultan al Umri
Vice Sergeant Ahmed Bin Abdullah Bin Mohammed al Umri
Sergeant Muflah Bin Jamaan Bin Muflah al Shahrani
Corporal Ali Bin Salman Bin Ali al Haqwi
Vice Sergeant Khalid Bin Saleh Bin Omar al Awda
Private First Class Yahya Bin Abdullah Bin Amer al Khuzaee
The announcement was made by an official from the Ministry of Defense and Aviation in response to images carried by the media of individuals said to be Saudi prisoners held captive during the current military operations. The source indicated that it had not received any news on the martyrdom of any of the nine missing soldiers and pointed out that their families had been fully informed of this. “We keep the next of kin informed of any developments,” the source said.
The source added, “By announcing this, we hold all the forces dealing with them completely responsible for [protecting] their lives. We also remind those forces of what is mentioned in Islamic Sharia law with regards to rights [entitled to] and duties towards this category of fighters.”
Meanwhile, sources informed Asharq Al-Awsat that reinforcements had reached Saudi armed forces in order to strengthen the entrenchments of the southern borders so as to avoid a repeat attempt by the Houthis to infiltrate [Saudi Arabia]. The source further added that Saudi artillery had continued shelling the posts of the infiltrators attacking Saudi forces stationed on the borders. It added that air force planes had bombarded hideouts used by infiltrators in the mountainous regions.
The Police Chief of the Jizan province, Major General Ahmed al Qazzaz, confirmed in a statement to Asharq Al-Awsat that security measures were being taken in public areas of Jizan such as marketplaces, malls, promenades, Eid prayer areas and public squares. He pointed out that these measures were being taken overtly and covertly. Al Qazzaz added that every possibility had been taken into consideration to avoid any incidents in the coming days in light of the incursions of Houthi rebels on Saudi territory.