Plans
for the 600-mile wall and ditch Saudi Arabia will build with Iraq in an
effort to insulate itself from the chaos engulfing its neighbors.
Much
of the area on the Iraqi side is now controlled by Isil, which regards
the ultimate capture of Saudi Arabia, home to the “Two Holy Mosques” of
Mecca and Medina, as a key goal.
The proposal had been discussed since 2006, at the height of the
Iraqi civil war, but work began in September last year after Isil’s
charge through much of the west and north of the country gave it a
substantial land border with the Kingdom to the south.
The border zone now includes five layers of fencing with watch towers, night-vision cameras, and radar cameras.
Riyadh also sent an extra 30,000 troops to the area.
It is not the only
fence with which Saudi Arabia has chosen to surround itself. Despite
the difficulty of access to westerners, the country is relatively open
to fellow Muslim nations, particularly during the Haj season when
pilgrims from across the world come to Mecca and Medina.
However, that is changing in changing times.
It has also created a physical barrier along parts of the even longer, 1,000-mile border with Yemen to the south.
The attack last week is the sort of incident the Saudis hope to
avoid. Three border guards, including General Oudah al-Belawi, commander
of border operations in Saudi Arabia’s northern zone, were killed.
All four attackers also died.
