Latest news with #Saudi-Syrian
Saudi Gazette
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Syrian official: Coordination with Saudi Arabia was instrumental in foiling smuggling of huge cache of narcotics
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Within the framework of Saudi-Syrian intelligence and security cooperation, the Syrian Anti-Narcotics Department is coordinating closely with the Saudi authorities to curb drug smuggling, according to Anwar Abdul-Hay, an official in the Syrian Anti-Narcotics Department, said that the Saudi-Syrian coordination has been instrumental in foiling the smuggling of hundreds of thousands of tons of contraband and narcotics. The report noted that the Saudi Ministry of Interior, represented by the General Directorate of Narcotics Control, provided its counterpart agency in Syria with security information related to the activities of criminal networks involved in drug smuggling. This information led to the Syrian Ministry of Interior's thwarting of an attempt to smuggle more than 200,000 amphetamine pills recently. Anwar Abdul-Hay emphasized the need for coordination with Saudi Arabia. "We are coordinating as if we were part of one security agency," he said while highlighting the existing high level of communication with Riyadh. Abdul-Hay also pointed out the exchange of expertise with Saudi Arabia in the field of drug control, emphasizing that his country coordinates with all neighboring countries to exchange information. He also explained that smuggling networks in Syria had been operating under the patronage of the former regime. Saudi Arabia and Syria are making ongoing efforts to crack down on drug dealers and traffickers. These efforts have resulted in foiling attempts to smuggle hundreds of thousands of narcotics over the past months. With the aim of developing the security system in Syria, the Saudi Ministry of Interior hosted a security delegation from Syria last April to learn about the experience of Saudi security agencies and benefit from their advanced expertise in security fields. Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif also met his Syrian counterpart Anas Khattab in Jeddah on June 2 to discuss prospects for cooperation in security fields, including combating terrorism, organized crime, and border guards. They discussed ways to strengthen bilateral security cooperation as well as enhancing coordination in combating drugs, and exchanging information and expertise.
Leaders
31-05-2025
- Business
- Leaders
Official Visit: Saudi FM Arrives in Damascus
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived today, May 31, in Damascus on an official visit to Syria, along with a high-level economic delegation, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Promising Visit The Kingdom's delegation consists of Royal Court Advisor Mohammed bin Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri, Vice Minister of Finance Abdulmuhsen bin Saad Alkhalaf and Assistant Minister of Investment Dr. Abdullah Aldubaikhi. Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic and Development Affairs Abdullah bin Zarah and other several officials from various sectors are also part of the delegation. Saudi FM and Syrian FM During the visit, Prince Faisal is set to hold talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Meanwhile, the Saudi delegation will hold a consultation session with their Syrian counterparts to explore new horizons for joint action. These talks and discussions seek basically to support Syrian economy and achieve the aspirations of Syrian people. Saudi-Syrian Relations Saudi Crown Prince and Syrian President In February, Syrian President visited Saudi Arabia and expressed his intentions to build strong ties with Arab and Western governments. Such relations have unfolded a new chapter for Syria's diplomatic relations after the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024. New Era Saudi Crown Prine Mohammed bin Salman, US President Turmp and Syria's interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa during Trump's Gulf tour. Since the fall of Al-Assad, the new Syrian government has been attempting to build strong relations with Western countries in order to alleviate the harsh sanctions of US and its allies imposed during Asaad's rule. Importantly, the US and the UK have recently lifted sanctions on Syria, allowing the new government to build its economy and welfare. Currently, the new government seeks to restore relations with Western and Arab countries as well as establish new diplomatic relations to boost its stability and security. Related Topics: Cyprus Grants Financial Support to Syrian Families to Resettle Erdogan Holds Talks with Syria's Sharaa in Istanbul Syria on Brink of Full-Scale Civil War, Warns Rubio Short link : Post Views: 127
Asharq Al-Awsat
19-04-2025
- Health
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Doctors Perform Life-Saving Surgeries in Syria
In the cardiac surgery unit at Al-Mouwasat University Hospital in the Syrian capital, Dr. Rakan Al-Nazer, head of the Saudi medical delegation to Damascus, stood alongside Dr. Nasser Kheder, the chief of Syrian doctors, and a joint Saudi-Syrian medical team preparing for an open-heart surgery on a Syrian patient. The procedure follows more than 11 surgeries and dozens of interventional catheterization consultations performed by the team in recent days. Dr. Al-Nazer is leading a 28-member Saudi medical team — comprising surgeons, consultants, and anesthesiologists — who arrived in Damascus four days ago to perform open-heart and catheterization procedures for adults and children. The mission is being carried out in cooperation with local Syrian doctors and coordinated by the Saudi humanitarian organization Al-Balsam. The volunteer team is part of a broader group of medical missions that have arrived in Syria since the beginning of the year, as public hospitals grapple with severe shortages of staff, medicine, and soaring fuel prices. The crisis has strained the ability of local medical personnel to reach patients in need and provide free healthcare amid a worsening economic and humanitarian situation across the country. Al-Nazer told Asharq Al-Awsat that the initiative is part of a wider range of medical volunteer programs run by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center and the Saudi Al-Balsam organization in Syria and other crisis-hit countries. The aim, he said, is 'to offer free medical assistance and treatment to low-income individuals and families.' He added that the campaign's goal is to perform as many surgeries as possible — targeting up to 100 operations — while ensuring full recovery for all patients, supported by the necessary medical supplies and logistical backing needed for such complex procedures. Dr. Nasser Kheder, Syria's chief physician, said the country's healthcare sector—particularly in Damascus—has been 'exhausted in every sense of the word,' after years of conflict destroyed many medical facilities and left healthcare workers drained amid shortages in medical specializations, low wages, and a lack of advanced equipment. He noted that the joint Saudi-Syrian medical teams have performed a range of procedures, including coronary artery surgeries, aortic and mitral valve replacements, and cardiac catheterizations with stent placements. Since March, Saudi Arabia's King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has launched five volunteer medical projects in Damascus and its countryside. Under the 'Amal' (Hope) program, Saudi teams have provided surgeries in cardiac care, neurosurgery for adults and children, orthopedics, and interventional cardiology, with the participation of 50 volunteer specialists across various medical fields. Saudi Arabia's ongoing humanitarian efforts in Syria are part of a broader mission to support the Syrian people and alleviate the hardship caused by nearly 14 years of war. The volunteer medical initiatives, led by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, aim to assist low-income individuals and families with life-saving care. The projects fall under a wider Saudi push to provide critical services in conflict-affected areas and reflect the Kingdom's commitment to long-term humanitarian support. Meanwhile, Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) has warned that Syria's healthcare system remains in a dire state. More than 20 public hospitals have gone out of service, and 38 others are operating only partially. The organization reported that a large number of patients are still in urgent need of specialized surgeries and essential medications.
