Saudi Arabia plans to close its borders with Yemen via a 900 km security fence

English - Tuesday 28 March 2023 الساعة 09:33 pm
NewsYemen, translation:

 The American "SB Global" magazine, which specializes in energy affairs, revealed that Saudi Arabia plans to completely close its borders with Yemen by building a 900-kilometer fence, after years of attacks on the kingdom's energy infrastructure, in addition to a bitter war with the Iran-backed Houthis.

The Kingdom is looking for a company to manage the giant infrastructure project, which will include helipads, security towers, radar equipment, communications and extensive supporting road networks, as the so-called plan to protect the southern borders will lead to the closure of the Kingdom's borders with Yemen completely. According to official documents seen by the American magazine.

The fence plan was first announced in 2003. The initial plan included a structure made of three-meter-high pipelines filled with concrete, serving as a security barrier along parts of the border with Yemen, fitted with electronic detectors.

Construction began in September 2003, but strong objections by the former Yemeni government led to the cessation of activities in February 2004.

Despite the improvement in relations with Iran, there are no guarantees that Saudi Arabia will seek to end military operations in Yemen, as the Kingdom has previously accused Tehran of arming the Houthi militia and providing it with drone technology used in attacks on energy infrastructure.