Riyadh, November 28: Saudi Arabia says nine of its soldiers fighting Yemeni rebels on the border are missing and the kingdom’s monarch is vowing to defend the country.
A defense ministry statement said the fate of the soldiers remains unknown. The statement was a reaction to reports that the soldiers were captured by Yemeni rebels.
Saudi Arabia has unleashed an offensive against Yemeni Shiite rebels who crossed into the kingdom and killed a Saudi soldier earlier this month. The rebels have been fighting Yemen’s central government for five years, destabilizing the already impoverished nation that has become fertile ground for al-Qaida.
Saudi King Abdullah said Friday his country will not allow anyone to “desecrate” its lands.
–Agencies