Lebanon Expresses Solidarity, Orders Probe into Threats against Saudi Embassy

File Photo: The Saudi foreign ministry said the Kingdom made the decision after the “calls and appeals of the moderate national political forces in Lebanon”
File Photo: The Saudi foreign ministry said the Kingdom made the decision after the “calls and appeals of the moderate national political forces in Lebanon”
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Lebanon Expresses Solidarity, Orders Probe into Threats against Saudi Embassy

File Photo: The Saudi foreign ministry said the Kingdom made the decision after the “calls and appeals of the moderate national political forces in Lebanon”
File Photo: The Saudi foreign ministry said the Kingdom made the decision after the “calls and appeals of the moderate national political forces in Lebanon”

Lebanon’s caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi asked the security authorities on Thursday to run investigations into audio terror threats launched against the Saudi Embassy in Beirut.

An audio recording of a reported Saudi national threatening the Saudi Embassy in Beirut with terror acts against it has spread lately.

The video triggered a wave of wide condemnation in Lebanon.

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid al-Bukhari said in a tweet: “Terror is the offspring of extremism. Its seeds begin in a depressed mind.”

Lebanon’s Interior Ministry said in a statement that Mawlawi has asked the directorates of the Internal Security Forces and the General Security to open investigations into the incident.

“Out of keenness for Lebanon’s interest, safety and maintaining the best relations with the brethren countries mainly Saudi Arabia, Minister Mawlawi has sent letters to the Internal Security Forces and General Security to open investigations into the incident,” said the statement.

According to the statement, the perpetrator is a Saudi national who is wanted on numerous terror counts by Saudi authorities.

Lebanese Forces MP Melhem Riachi described in a tweet the recording as a “blatant assault” that harms Lebanon’s “brotherly” ties with Saudi Arabia.

Kataeb MP Elias Hankash said the threat will not intimidate the Saudi embassy or the ambassador. “Ambassador Bukhari is staying here. We count on the security apparatus,” he said in a tweet.



Hemedti Issues Strict Orders to his Forces to Protect Sudanese People

 People collect clean water provided by a charity organization to people in Gedaref in eastern Sudan on August 30, 2024. (AFP)
People collect clean water provided by a charity organization to people in Gedaref in eastern Sudan on August 30, 2024. (AFP)
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Hemedti Issues Strict Orders to his Forces to Protect Sudanese People

 People collect clean water provided by a charity organization to people in Gedaref in eastern Sudan on August 30, 2024. (AFP)
People collect clean water provided by a charity organization to people in Gedaref in eastern Sudan on August 30, 2024. (AFP)

Commander of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, also known as Hemedti, issued on Saturday strict orders to his forces to protect civilians and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid in line with the commitments his delegation made at the recent peace talks in Geneva.

In a post on the X platform, he said he issued an “extraordinary administrative order to all the forces” to protect civilians and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.

He called on all commanders to abide by the orders in line with international humanitarian law. Any violators will be held accountable.

The RSF has been accused of widespread violations against civilians in areas under their control. They have also been accused of committing massacres in Gezira state in central Sudan. The RSF have denied the accusations.

Hemedti announced in August the formation of a “civilian protection force” that immediately assumed its duties in the Khartoum and Gezira states.

According to head of the RSF delegation to the Geneva talks, Omar Hamdan, the force is formed of 27 combat vehicles, backed by forces that have experience in cracking down on insubordination.

Hemedti stressed last week his commitment to all the outcomes of the Geneva talks, starting with ensuring the delivery of aid to those in need.

The RSF and army agreed to open two safe routes for the deliveries and to protect civilians to ease their suffering after nearly a year and a half of war.

The mediators in Geneva received commitments from the RSF that it would order the fighters against committing any violations against civilians in areas under their control.

Meanwhile, aid deliveries continued through the Adre border crossing with Chad. They are headed to people in Darfur in western Sudan.

Fifty-nine aid trucks carrying aid supplies crossed from Chad to Darfur, said the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on Saturday.

“The supplies are estimated to reach nearly 195,000 people in acute need in different parts of the country,” it added.

“About 128 aid trucks carrying supplies for an estimated 355,000 people are being prepared to cross into Sudan in the coming days and weeks to ensure a steady flow of supplies. Despite the surge of supplies through Adre, humanitarian partners have warned that ongoing rains and floods have damaged three major bridges in the region, limiting movements within Darfur,” it revealed.

“While progress has been made on the Adre border crossing, funding resources are depleting, and humanitarian funding is urgently required to sustain the supplies chain,” it urged.