The father of Muhammad Ahmad Al-Hashmi, the first private killed in armed confrontation along the border with Yemen, has expressed his pride that his son scarified his life in defense of his beloved country. Speaking from his mountainous village about 60 km southwest of Abha, Ahmad Al-Hashmi said he, his children and grandchildren and all his family members are “proud to serve the dear country and our beloved King”. He appealed to the authorities concerned to allow his grandsons to join the Armed Forces to serve the Kingdom. Salha Asiri, the martyr's mother, said in a message to the King that she, her children, grandchildren and her tribesmen were ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of their beloved country. She said the martyrdom of her son was as a sign of victory, pride and dignity as her son joined those who laid down their lives defending the Kingdom. Khaled, the 10-year-old son of the martyr, desired to complete the task of his father by joining the Armed Forces. He said he was looking forward to the day when he also dies a martyr like his father. Muhammad Ahmad Hassan Al-Hashmi, 37, was martyred while he was chasing infiltrators on the Saudi-Yemeni border. He joined the Armed Forces in 1993 and served in the 10th Platoon of the 1st Regiment in the Armed forces. He was married and blessed with four children – two boys and two girls.
