The Saudi cabinet stressed on Tuesday that the security of Egypt was “indivisible” from that of the Kingdom and the entire Arab nation.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the government meeting that was held virtually due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The ministers added that Saudi Arabia “stands by Egypt in its right to defend its borders and people against extremists and terrorist militias and their backers in the region.”
Egypt has the right “to protect its western borders from terrorism,” they added, while calling on the international community to assume its responsibility in reaching a comprehensive solution to the Libyan conflict.
“The solution must respect the country’s territorial integrity, restore state institutions, eliminate terrorist and extremist militias and put an end to illegal foreign meddling that only fuels terrorism in the region,” said the ministers.
The cabinet also reiterated the Kingdom’s condemnation of the Turkish and Iranian attacks on Iraqi territories where they are cracking down on Kurdish militants in the country’s north.
The attacks are “flagrant violations” against an Arab state and a threat to Arab and regional security, said the government.
Saudi Arabia supports Iraq in all measures it takes to preserve its sovereignty, security and stability, it declared.
The ministers were also briefed on the latest local and international developments related to the coronavirus pandemic. They stressed the need for nationals, residents and employers to act responsibly and respect preventive measures as life gradually returns to normal in the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia had lifted the virus lockdown on Sunday and imposed a series of precautions to curb the spread of the disease.
Acting Media Minister Dr. Majid al-Qasabi revealed that the cabinet also discussed Saudi Arabia’s recent decision to hold the annual Hajj pilgrimage with a very limited number of pilgrims and only for people residing inside the Kingdom.
He stressed to the Saudi Press Agency that the move stems from the leadership’s keenness on holding the holy rituals amid safe conditions in order to protect lives against the pandemic.
On the recent attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis against the Kingdom, the ministers slammed the militias, accusing them of deliberately targeting civilians in their failed terrorist operations that are a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.
The Saudi-led Arab coalition intercepted and downed on Monday three Houthi ballistic missiles and eight booby-trapped drones flown by the Houthis in Yemen towards the Kingdom.
