SDRPY Kicks off Renovation of 600 Houses in Yemen's Aden

Officials at the signing ceremony.
Officials at the signing ceremony.
TT

SDRPY Kicks off Renovation of 600 Houses in Yemen's Aden

Officials at the signing ceremony.
Officials at the signing ceremony.

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) kicked off the Adequate Housing Project in Yemen's interim capital, Aden, to renovate homes damaged by the ongoing conflict.

An agreement was signed on Wednesday to launch the project.

The first phase includes delivering 80 locations for housing at Al-Mualla district out of 600 housing units that will be renovated in Aden.

The project is being carried out in partnership with Alwaleed Humanitarian Foundation, the United Nations Human Settlements Program, and in coordination with the Ministry of Public Works and Roads in Yemen, at a cost of around $2.5 million.

Executive Director of the SDRPY Office Ahmed Al-Madkhali underlined the Kingdom’s commitment to support Yemen's reconstruction and sustainable development.

He noted that the project is a result of cooperation between many UN agencies and local authorities in Yemen, with the support of Saudi Arabia.

The first stage of the project includes the renovation of 600 housing units in each of the districts of Mualla and Khormaksar.

This step will benefit 4,000 people, including 200 unemployed youths, who will receive vocational training, and provide 1,600 job opportunities.

General Director of the Mualla district Abdul Rahim Al-Jawi said several criteria were considered in the process of selecting the targeted homes, such as the humanitarian situation of families, and the damage incurred by the homes from war, floods and torrential rain.

The process was carried out through community committees and specialized engineers from the Ministry of Public Works and Roads.



Turkish Parliament Ratifies Makkah Defense Pact

General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)
General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)
TT

Turkish Parliament Ratifies Makkah Defense Pact

General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)
General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)

Türkiye's parliament ratified a regional defense pact involving Saudi Arabia and Pakistan overnight, state media reported.

The three countries signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement in August, committing them to come to one another's aid if any member is attacked.

Lawmakers approved the measure by 279 votes to 119, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.

During parliamentary debates, ruling AKP lawmaker Ziya Altunyaldiz said the agreement was not directed against any third country and was intended to prevent conflicts rather than escalate them, Anadolu reported.


Coalition Destroys Drone in Makkah, 2 Ballistic Missiles Fired at Najran

Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

Coalition Destroys Drone in Makkah, 2 Ballistic Missiles Fired at Najran

Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Official Spokesperson for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki announced on Friday the interception and downing of a drone over the Makkah Region. 

Saudi defenses had earlier destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by the terrorist Houthi militia at Saudi Arabia's Najran, he added. 

Debris fell as a result of the interception, and an assessment of the damage is currently underway. 


Saudi Arabia and Türkiye Seek to Strengthen Security Cooperation

(L) Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and (R) his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Ciftci. (SPA)
(L) Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and (R) his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Ciftci. (SPA)
TT

Saudi Arabia and Türkiye Seek to Strengthen Security Cooperation

(L) Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and (R) his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Ciftci. (SPA)
(L) Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and (R) his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Ciftci. (SPA)

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif met his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Ciftci, in Ankara on Thursday for talks focused on strengthening security cooperation between the two countries.

Prince Abdulaziz said the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman emphasized the importance of further developing bilateral security cooperation, building on the close ties between the two countries.

Prince Abdulaziz said the two countries' longstanding historical and fraternal ties had set an example of cooperation and coordination across various fields.

He said the Makkah Defense Agreement, signed by Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, reflects the strength of Riyadh-Ankara relations and their converging strategic interests and priorities amid the current geopolitical landscape. The agreement marks an important step that demonstrates the two countries' leaderships' commitment to addressing regional and international crises, he added.

The talks focused on strengthening security cooperation and coordination, including efforts to combat extremist groups and cross-border crimes such as drug smuggling and trafficking, amid regional and global challenges.

Both sides stressed the importance of further strengthening security cooperation in areas of mutual interest, developing partnership frameworks and coordinating efforts on security issues in line with the aspirations of their countries' leaderships.