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. 



King of Bahrain Assigns Crown Prince to Hold to Account Those who ‘Betrayed the Nation’

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)
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King of Bahrain Assigns Crown Prince to Hold to Account Those who ‘Betrayed the Nation’

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa declared on Sunday that the state “will proceed firmly” in addressing the consequences of the US-Israeli war on Iran, including Tehran’s attacks on the Gulf.

As he received senior officials, King Hamad revealed that Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has been assigned with implementing “comprehensive and decisive measures, including the introduction of programs to resolve any gaps that have been identified in the defense or economic sectors,” reported Bahrain’s state news agency BNA.

King Hamad directed the immediate launch “of the legal measures against those who have betrayed the nation or undermined its security and stability, alongside a review of cases relating to entitlement to Bahraini citizenship, with the appropriate legal procedures to be applied accordingly.”

“The situation remains sensitive and calls for steadfast adherence to national responsibility and the safeguarding of the homeland with no tolerance for negligence or dereliction of duty,” he warned.

“The nation deserves the utmost sacrifice,” he added, stressing that Bahrain “will remain committed to its positions advocating the resolution of crises through peaceful means and diplomatic efforts, in a manner that serves the interests of the peoples of the region and the world.”

King Hamad also expressed pride in the achievements of Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad in advancing government work and driving further development across various sectors.


WFP Hails Saudi Support in Easing Suffering in Yemen

KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)
KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)
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WFP Hails Saudi Support in Easing Suffering in Yemen

KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)
KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)

As more than 17 million people across Yemen faced hunger in 2025, a US$25 million contribution from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) enabled the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) to deliver lifesaving food assistance and strengthen livelihoods for vulnerable families, said the WFP last week.

“The KSrelief funded project allowed WFP to provide emergency food assistance to over 43,000 families in some of the most food insecure areas of Dhale governorate and the West Coast,” it noted in a statement.

“In parallel, the contribution supported longer term recovery efforts in Hadramawt, al-Mahra and Socotra, helping 6,500 families strengthen their livelihoods through vocational training programs and asset creation.”

“Through the same project, 1,208 acres of agricultural land were rehabilitated, 38,360 meters of irrigation channels repaired, and 26 greenhouses constructed, boosting local food production and building resilience to increasingly severe weather conditions,” added the statement.

“KSrelief stepped up at a critical moment,” said Elkhidir Daloum, WFP Country Director in Yemen.

“Reaching nearly 50,000 families with either emergency food assistance or livelihood support is no small achievement. This partnership made a tangible difference in the lives of people facing severe needs.”

In 2025, Yemen recorded its highest levels of food insecurity, with 70 percent of families reporting they were unable to access adequate food in July.

KSrelief has been a valued partner in WFP’s efforts to improve food security in Yemen, contributing more than US$300 million since 2020.


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.