Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief Signs Several Agreements with Syria to Support its Recovery

Saudi and Syrian officials are seen at the signing ceremony on Sunday. (SPA)
Saudi and Syrian officials are seen at the signing ceremony on Sunday. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief Signs Several Agreements with Syria to Support its Recovery

Saudi and Syrian officials are seen at the signing ceremony on Sunday. (SPA)
Saudi and Syrian officials are seen at the signing ceremony on Sunday. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) signed in Damascus on Sunday a number of agreements with the Syrian Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management and other agencies as part of its humanitarian and relief efforts across Syria. 

The first agreement signed with the ministry aims to remove and manage debris in the Damascus countryside, specifically in Darayya and Douma.  

The partnership includes removing more than 75,000 cubic meters of debris from roads and public facilities to support recovery efforts.  

Under the agreement, a debris management unit will also be established and equipped, and no less than 30,000 cubic meters of debris will be recycled.  

The initiative strengthens local capacities by providing equipment to sustain debris removal and recycling operations. It will reduce environmental impact and is expected to benefit more than four million people. 

The second agreement with the ministry aims to rehabilitate sewage networks in Qaboun, in the Damascus governorate.  

The project includes rehabilitating sewage networks and cleaning and sealing exposed canals. It aims to improve access to residential areas, curb the spread of disease, enhance environmental and health sustainability and promote public safety. About 21,000 people are expected to benefit. 

The third agreement with the ministry aims to rehabilitate wells in the Douma area. 

The signing ceremony was attended by Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of KSrelief Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah and Syrian Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed Al-Saleh. The agreement was signed by KSrelief Assistant Supervisor General for Operations and Programs Eng. Ahmed bin Ali Al-Baiz. 

The agreement provides for the full rehabilitation of 15 wells, improving groundwater extraction efficiency and supporting the sustainability of water resources. It also includes awareness campaigns to promote rational water use among local residents, benefiting an estimated 250,000 people. 

This initiative comes as part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian efforts, through KSrelief, to enhance water services in affected areas, ensure access to safe water, reduce the spread of disease, promote public health, and support sustainable development in Syria. 

KSrelief also signed a joint cooperation agreement with a civil society organization to support the wheat production chain in the eastern countryside of Aleppo. 

Efforts will focus on rehabilitating agricultural infrastructure, including irrigation and drainage systems. The project seeks to improve the availability of high-quality Syrian wheat seeds and provide crucial technical support for agricultural extension and mechanization. 

The intervention will cover a total area of 2,750 hectares, benefiting approximately 16,500 individuals from 2,750 families. By empowering small farmers, the program aims to increase local reliance on agricultural resources and promote self-sufficiency. 

The agreements are part of Saudi Arabia's ongoing humanitarian and relief efforts to improve services and support recovery in affected areas across Syria. 



MWL Condemns Attack on UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
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MWL Condemns Attack on UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)

The Muslim World League (MWL) condemned the attack targeting the French battalion of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

In a statement, MWL Secretary-General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa reiterated the organization’s condemnation of attacks on UN agencies and their missions, as part of its broader rejection of all acts of violence and terrorism.

Al-Issa noted that the attack breaches international obligations concerning the safety and security of UN personnel.

He offered condolences to the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

A UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small arms fire Saturday morning, leaving one French peacekeeper dead and three others wounded, two of them seriously, France's president and the force known as UNIFIL said.

Both President Emmanuel Macron and the UNIFIL force blamed Hezbollah, but the group denied involvement.

The attack near the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh came after a 10-day ceasefire went into effect at midnight Thursday between Israel and Hezbollah.


First Flights of Makkah Route Initiative Beneficiaries Arrive in Madinah

Pilgrims from Türkiye are welcomed upon their arrival in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Pilgrims from Türkiye are welcomed upon their arrival in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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First Flights of Makkah Route Initiative Beneficiaries Arrive in Madinah

Pilgrims from Türkiye are welcomed upon their arrival in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Pilgrims from Türkiye are welcomed upon their arrival in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

The first flights carrying beneficiaries of the Makkah Route Initiative arrived in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

The pilgrims arrived from Türkiye, Pakistan and Bangladesh and entered through the initiative's terminal at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah.

The Makkah Route Initiative aims to deliver high-quality services to pilgrims from beneficiary countries by receiving them and completing their procedures with ease in their homelands. This begins with biometric data collection and the electronic issuance of Hajj visas, followed by passport procedures at the departure airport after verifying health requirements, and the coding and sorting of luggage in line with transport and accommodation arrangements in the Kingdom.

Pilgrims then proceed directly to buses designated to take them to their residences in Makkah and Madinah via dedicated routes, while partner entities ensure their luggage is delivered to them.

The Ministry of Interior is implementing the initiative in its eighth year in cooperation with the ministries of foreign affairs, health, Hajj and Umrah, and media, along with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA), the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), the General Authority for Awqaf, the Pilgrim Experience Program, and the General Directorate of Passports, in integration with the digital partner stc Group.

The initiative has served 1,254,994 pilgrims since its launch in 2017.


Arab, Islamic Countries Condemn Israel for Appointing Diplomatic Representative to ‘Somaliland’

 This picture taken on November 7, 2024 shows a general view of the city of Hargeisa, capital and largest city of the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland. (AFP)
This picture taken on November 7, 2024 shows a general view of the city of Hargeisa, capital and largest city of the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland. (AFP)
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Arab, Islamic Countries Condemn Israel for Appointing Diplomatic Representative to ‘Somaliland’

 This picture taken on November 7, 2024 shows a general view of the city of Hargeisa, capital and largest city of the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland. (AFP)
This picture taken on November 7, 2024 shows a general view of the city of Hargeisa, capital and largest city of the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland. (AFP)

The foreign ministers of several Arab and Islamic countries slammed Israel on Saturday for announcing the appointment of a diplomatic representative to the so-called “Somaliland” in “flagrant violation of the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Somalia.”

The ministers reiterated their “unequivocal rejection of all unilateral measures that undermine the unity of states or infringe upon their sovereignty.”

They underscored “their firm and unwavering support for the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Somalia, as well as for its legitimate state institutions, being the sole representative of the will of the Somali people.”

The ministers stressed that such actions are “a blatant violation of the principles of international law, the United Nations Charter, and the Constitutive Act of the African Union, and set a dangerous precedent that risks undermining stability in the Horn of Africa,” which will have a negative impact on regional peace and security.

The statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Egypt, Kuwait, Palestine, Libya, Sudan, Algeria, Pakistan, Türkiye, Indonesia and Bangladesh.