Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Saudi Arabia Denies Plans of Building Security Fence on Border with Iraq | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat- Security sources have asserted to Asharq Al-Awsat that the report carried by the London Times, which states that Saudi Arabia is contemplating building a fence along its border with Iraq, is baseless.

the source also stressed that there is no need to build a security fence along the 900 km border with Iraq because the border areas are under control and pointed out that the idea was not raised and there is absolutely no intention of doing this. It considered the fence idea unacceptable and said what happens is a replacement of the wires on the common Saudi-Iraqi border that are equipped with thermal equipment to monitor the infiltrations and smugglings when they happen.

The “Times” reported that Saudi Arabia has started to receive contractors’ bids to build a security fence all along its border with Iraq and said the project would cost billions of dollars and is attracting the attention of many British security companies at present. It also said the fence would be part of a larger plan to bolster the country’s defense along its 6,500 km borders and that Saudi Arabia wants to protect itself from an overspill of sectarian violence. It noted that Saudi Arabia is winning against “Al-Qaeda’s” elements in its territories but is worried by the gunmen returning from Iraq. The paper also cited a European official in Riyadh as saying: “I think this is a waste of time and money. The gunmen are using other routes, like Syria.”