Damascus handed over Riyadh 30 Saudis tried to sneak to Iraq
Syria-Iraq, Politics, 5/31/2005

The Saudi authorities said that Syria handed it over more than 30 Saudis accused of trying to sneak to Iraq to resist against the American forces.

The Saudi official news agency quoted the Saudi minister of the interior Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz as saying that Damascus handed over Riyadh more than 30 Saudis and other numbers continued to be handed over, but he denied how many Saudis are fighting the American forces in Iraq.

The Saudi dialy al-Watan announced by the beginning of May that Syria holds 137 Saudis who tried to sneak to Iraq, while several observers say that the Saudis constitute an important segment of foreign fighters in Iraq. A matter which is denied by Riyadh, considering the number as exaggerated.

However, several Saudi scholars considered in January that resisting the American occupation in Iraq is a legitimate matter. Sheikh Safar al-Hawali confirmed this right by the beginning of this month, but he said that resistance should be limited to the people of Iraq.

The Iraqi authorities often accuse Damascus of being loose in controlling its borders. The Iraqi prime minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari set a precondition to visit Damascus which is that Damascus stops the sneaking of foreign fighters. The announcement made by the Syrian authorities to arresting 1200 foreign fighters at its borders was cautiously welcomed in Baghdad.

Previous Stories:
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  Syrian measures on the borders with Iraq   (5/18/2005)
  Iraqi president describes Syria-Iraq relation as strategic   (5/11/2005)
  Syria - Saudi Arabia talks discuss outcome of Abdullah recent tour   (5/9/2005)
  Saudi crown prince Abdullah today in Damascus: an attempt to avoid pressure on Syria   (5/6/2005)

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