The military offensive against infiltrators at Mount Dokhan and Mount Al-Doud in Jizan entered a new phase Sunday with armored vehicles advancing in the surrounding areas, according to Okaz newspaper. Okaz reported Monday that some 200 infiltrators were killed in air and artillery bombardments over Sunday night and into the early hours of Monday after groups had penetrated the border and were cornered in a valley. Further clashes took place at the villages of Al-Raha, Umm Al-Darq and Al-Qomah, which had been evacuated less than 48 hours earlier. Okaz also said that an unspecified number of foreign fighters had been arrested, as were some persons who attempted to cross the border dressed in pilgrim “Ihram” attire. Al-Sharq Al-Awsat Arabic daily reported Monday that two Pakistanis and an Egyptian had been captured in Saudi territory since the beginning of clashes on the border. The three are suspected of having ties to the infiltrators. Al-Watan newspaper reported the same day that Special Forces paratroopers captured a group of armed infiltrators with Ethiopians, Somalis and Afghans among them following ground and helicopter attacks at Al-Rumaih Mountain. According to the report, mortars and a Cartouche launcher were used against the Saudi military.
