Saudia privatization in final stages

July 31, 2013

Jeddah, Jul 31: The privatization of Saudi Arabian Airlines is in the final stages, said Prince Fahd bin Abdullah, president of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, and chairman of the airline’s board of directors.

“We hope Saudia’s privatization process would be completed shortly,” the prince told reporters after witnessing the signing of an agreement for the privatization of the Saudi Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI).

He said Qatar Airways and Gulf Air, which are licensed to operate domestic flights in the Kingdom, are scheduled to start their operations within the next three months after completing some establishment procedures and opening their offices in the Kingdom.

Saudia has sold 30 percent of its stake in SAEI to Tarabut Aircraft Maintenance Company, an affiliate of Integrated Transport Company (ITC). The agreement between the two organizations was signed by Prince Sultan bin Muhammad bin Saud Al-Kabir, chairman of ITC, and Khaled Al-Molhem, director general of Saudia.

Prince Fahd emphasized the important role of SAEI, which provides aircraft maintenance services not only for Saudia but also for foreign airlines. “We hope it would become a major aircraft maintenance center in the Middle East,” the chairman said.

Al-Molhem said: “This is another important step toward privatization of the airline’s strategic units and it was decided after conducting adequate studies with the support of international consulting firms.”

The Saudia chief underscored the desire of investors to participate in Saudia’s privatization process. “This strategic partnership will have great benefits for the Kingdom as well as investors. This is a model of successful partnership between the public and private sectors,” he added.

Prince Fahd chaired a meeting of Saudia’s board to discuss the financial reports and operational performance during the first half of 2013, its Haj and Umrah plan for this year and the airline’s efforts to modernize its fleet, develop its IT infrastructure and improve services to passengers.

“We have to achieve higher operational rates to compete with other airlines at regional and international levels,” the chairman said.

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Syrian Town erupts after Israeli forces enter Beit Jinn; heavy casualties reported

News Network

November 28,2025

Several Syrians were killed and more than two dozen others injured in Israeli strikes on the outskirts of Damascus, amid intensified incursions by the occupying regime since the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad and the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rule.

Syrian state TV reported that the casualties occurred during an overnight Israeli assault involving helicopters and drones on the town of Beit Jinn in the Damascus countryside. The attack followed an Israeli military unit’s entry into the town, where they were surrounded by local residents, leading to gunfire and direct confrontations.

According to the report, “The occupation army’s helicopters and artillery shelled Beit Jinn, located at the foothills of Mount Hermon, resulting in 13 martyrs and 25 injured civilians.” The broadcaster did not specify the full extent of damage.

Al-Ikhbariyah Syria confirmed that the shelling coincided with Israeli soldiers entering Beit Jinn, while artillery pounded surrounding areas. The broadcaster stated that the escalation began after local residents clashed with an Israeli patrol that had infiltrated the southern town and “kidnapped” three young men.

Following a two-hour exchange of heavy fire, Israeli forces withdrew and repositioned on the hill of Butt al-Warda at the town’s outskirts.

Israeli media acknowledged that six soldiers were wounded in the clashes—three of them seriously—describing the confrontation as a “sudden ambush” that forced the deployment of reserve units and air support to secure an exit route. No further details were provided.

The aggression has fueled renewed displacement from Beit Jinn, with residents fleeing to nearby villages amid increasingly frequent Israeli attacks.

The raid came just a day after Israeli troops carried out another ground incursion into Umm al-Luqas village in Quneitra province. According to SANA, an Israeli unit in four vehicles entered the village, raided several homes, and later withdrew.

Syria condemned the repeated incursions as violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and UN resolutions, urging the international community to enforce compliance and pressure Israel to halt its operations and withdraw fully.

Israel has expanded its attacks across Syrian territory following the collapse of the Assad government last year. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly instructed his forces to push deeper into Syrian territory and seize strategic positions.

Meanwhile, critics say the HTS-led interim government’s inaction and growing normalization gestures toward Israel have emboldened Tel Aviv to intensify its military operations. HTS, formerly linked to al-Qaeda, seized control of Damascus last December, formally ending Assad’s rule.

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