RIYADH — Saudi Arabia will raze 96 deserted border villages to prevent their use by infiltrators from neighboring Yemen, where the Kingdom is leading airstrikes on rebels, a report said on Sunday. Ten villages have already been demolished since a Saudi-led military coalition began airstrikes on Iranian-backed Houthi rebels on March 26, Al-Hayat Arabic newspaper reported. It cited the border guard chief in the area, Hassan Aqili, as saying that the move was to prevent the empty houses from turning into “a safe haven for traffickers and infiltrators.” The 15,000 inhabitants were resettled following a 2009-2010 infiltration. They have been shifted to the King Abdullah Housing Development Project in Jazan. After the 2009 infiltration attempt, the Kingdom created a buffer zone along the border with Yemen. Displaced villagers were compensated with money and housing. Three Saudi border guards have been shot dead by gunfire from within Yemen since Riyadh launched air raids against the Iran-backed rebels. — Agencies
