Saudi Nat'l Guard join army in southern border defences

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Saudi Arabia has deployed its National Guard alongside army forces along the borders with Yemen in order to face any likely threats on the strategic southern area, according to local reports on Sunday.

The battalion consists of a mechanized infantry division, artillery, mortar and air defense units, reconnaissance, engineering and logistics specialized squads, and anti-armor and tank artillery, the state Saudi Press Agency, SPA, said.

"They (the battalion) have been trained on carrying out traditional combat and security operations in line with the challenges at hand which face the world in general and Saudi Arabia, in particular," added the report.

The deployment comes after King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud's royal decree ushered the move.