Minefields, digging of fortified protective sites and barbed fencing of the border are some of the security measures planned to prevent infiltration, a senior army official has said. At the same time Maj. Gen. Sa'eed Al-Ghamdi, Commander of the Purging Operations on Mount Al-Doud, north of Jizan, reiterated that the infiltrators were chased out from the Kingdom's territory, and did not withdraw as claimed by them. “By God, they lied for they did not withdraw but they were expelled after we confronted them in the valleys and on hills and mountains. They did not pull out but were defeated,” the official said. With the purging of all the infiltrators, Al-Ghamdi said armed forces have halted smuggling of drugs and weapons by the infiltrators. “The only remedy for these troublemakers is the presence of the armed forces,” the commander said. Talking exclusively to Okaz, Al-Ghamdi shed light on the three-phase purging operations on the strategic Mount Al-Doud. “These phases were in accordance with a well-studied plan ensuring minimum loss of human lives,” the commander said.Fierce war Maj. Gen. Al-Ghamdi said security forces fought fierce battle with the infiltrators when they occupied some villages on the Saudi borders and concentrated on the mountain peaks. “They (the infiltrators) did not consider the consequences of their impetuosity. We dealt with them with an iron fist and forced them out of our territories,” Al-Ghamdi said. Maj. Gen. Al-Ghamdi said infiltrators used Al-Malaheedh area, where skirmishes were started first, as the launch pad of their nefarious designs. “They concentrated on the valleys and mountains and through unmanned planes (drones) and other air sorties we managed to determine their positions and accordingly we worked out a suitable attack plan,” the commander said. The first phase of the plan to liberate Mount Al-Doud was ‘Gharib Kaba.' “After a fierce battle, thanks to God, we achieved victory, he said. The second phase was to reach the mountain top. “We faced some difficulties as the infiltrators were everywhere on the mountain. In fact, it took us some time to reach the top of the mountain on foot. The troops were bravely proceeding and fighting and repulsing the enemies. When we advanced a step we paved the way for the heavy machinery in order to dispatch the remaining fighters as well as the logistics. “By Allah's blessing, we controlled the entire area and reached the fort on the peak of the mount and succeeded in seizing one of the most important strategic locations,” he said. “From there, we could monitor the movement of the enemy day and night and from a distance of 20 km through the modern technology. We managed to monitor and confront them and chased them away.” The third and last stage, he said, was to reach the international borders. “We have managed to set up a buffer zone,” he said.
