Report: Some 1,000 foreigners arrested in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi daily al-Jazira said on Tuesday that some 1,000 foreigners, whose residency is in violation of the law, were suspended in Aseer province, in southwestern Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi daily quoted the director of the passports department in Aseer Lt. Gen. Salem al-Balheed said that all foreigners whose residency is illegal will be immediately expelled.

In October 1997, the Saudi authorities launched a campaign against foreigners who are illegally living in the country, and the campaign resulted in expelling 1.5 million with the majority of them Indians and Pakistanis.

However, most foreigners enter Saudi Arabia during al-Haj season and stay there after the termination of their entry visas.