Saudi withdraws embassy staff from Syria
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E-mail Xinhua, March 15, 2012
Saudi Arabia has pulled out of all its embassy staff in Syria, the state-run news agency SPA reported Wednesday, quoting a statement issued by the foreign ministry.
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has closed its embassy in Damascus and withdrew all of its diplomats and staff from Syria" in light of the current events in Syria, the statement said.
During the "Friends of Syria" conference taking place in Tunisia lately, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said that arming the Syrian opposition would be an "excellent idea."
In February, the Gulf Cooperation Council, including Saudi Arabia, decided to withdraw their ambassadors in Syria and in the meantime, demanded Syrian ambassadors in the Gulf countries to leave.
The Syrian government has accused some Arab and Western countries of providing weapons and financial support to the armed groups in Syria. It is said in December 2011 that "armed terrorist groups" had killed more than 2,000 army and security personnel during the unrest.
The United Nations said recently that more than 7,500 people died in Syria's violence. In Geneva, the UN refugee agency said 230,000 Syrians have fled their homes since the beginning of domestic violence in Syria last year.
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