RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 16,899 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday. According to an official report, a total of 11,033 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 3,493 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 2,373 for labor-related issues. The report showed that among the 769 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 39 percent were Yemeni, 58 percent Ethiopian, and 3 percent were of other nationalities. A further 80 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 11 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 December 23, 2023 20:11 UTC