Prince Khaled Bin Sultan, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation for Military Affairs, on Friday announced the establishment of a specialist administration to look after affairs of the families of martyrs. Details of the specialist administration, he said, will be announced on the completion of all the procedures for the setting up of the body in question. The announcement came during Prince Khaled's inspection tour of the armed forces deployed in Jizan. He lauded the efforts of the armed forces in defending their homeland and clearing the Saudi territories of infiltrators. Terming Jizan the “Pearl of the South”, Prince Khaled said that it was the hub of brave and loyal men. He also conveyed greetings from King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and Crown Prince Sultan, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspection General, to the personnel of the armed forces. Prince Khaled said that the action taken against the infiltrators was an extension of the defensive role the Saudi forces played two decades ago when they effectively confronted the invasion of Khafji governorate. Referring to the recent battles fought with the infiltrators, he said that it was the first mountainous battle fought by the brave Saudi armed forces, which served as a real test for their fighting capability. “However, the Saudi forces have proven their fighting capability and their ability to latch on to latest technology”. Later, Prince Khaled decorated a number of armed forces personnel with the Bravery Medal for the heroism they exhibited during the war with the infiltrators. He also handed over memorial gifts to the families of martyrs. Lt. Gen. Hussein Al-Qabeel, Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Abdul Rahman Al-Marshad, Commander of the land forces and a number of military and senior officers were also present.
