RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested almost 16,000 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, according to an official report. From Jan. 5 to 11, a total of 8,732 people were arrested for violations of residency rules, while 4,180 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 2,822 for labor-related issues. The report showed that among the 620 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 65 percent were Yemeni, 30 percent Ethiopian, and 5 percent were of other nationalities. A further 73 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 16 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators. Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.

Source: Ethiopian News January 14, 2023 22:39 UTC