Girl killed in Saudi Arabia’s Asir as bulldozers demolish family home
A young Saudi girl has reportedly lost her life as bulldozers razed her family home in the kingdom’s southern region of Asir, nearly two months after regime forces fatally shot a dissident tribal activist in the Tabuk region as he resisted leaving his home to allow construction of a controversial megacity project.
The ill-fated child, identified by her given name Noura, was killed in the Harajah governorate of the region on Wednesday as several bulldozers were deployed to the area in order to tear down buildings purportedly constructed without permits, Arabic-language New Khalij news website reported on Thursday.
The report added that Noura was asleep when the incident took place, and was crushed by a bulldozer before she could find a chance to save her life.
Video footage of the demolition, circulated on social media platforms, has created a wave of shock and outrage in Saudi Arabia, with media activists describing the incident as “tragic and unfortunate” and venting their rage on government officials and the so-called urban planning committee in Harajah under the Arabic hashtag “Critical assaults kill the child Noura.”
The activists launched a sharp attack on those responsible for the demolition, describing what they did as a criminal act and utter disregard for the lives of civilians.
Public Prosecutor Sheikh Saud bin Abdullah al-Moajab has apparently ordered an investigation into circumstances surrounding the girl’s death.
On April 13, Saudi regime forces killed dissident tribal activist Abdul-Rahim al-Howeiti after they raided al-Khuraybah area, located more than 1400 kilometers (869 miles) northwest of the capital Riyadh.
Howeiti was a prominent member of the large Howeitat tribe, which has lived in the area for hundreds of years.
The activist had censured the House of Saud over uprooting Saudi nationals for the sake of a project that runs counter to the history and traditions of the region.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman announced the contentious NEOM tourism development project at an international conference in October 2017, which will turn 50 islands and other sites on the Red Sea into luxury resorts.
Critics say the project is wasteful and ineffective in addressing the problems of the Saudi economy, including unemployment and dependence on oil.
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