Several wounded in explosion at Saudi cemetery in Jeddah

Several wounded in explosion at Saudi cemetery in Jeddah
An explosive device hit a ceremony commemorating the end of WWI at a cemetery in Jeddah.
2 min read
11 November, 2020
The French consulate in the Saudi Red Sea port of Jeddah in October [Getty]


French officials say multiple people were wounded on Wednesday when an explosive device hit a ceremony commemorating the end of World War I at a cemetery in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah.

The officials from the French Foreign Ministry said that several countries had representatives at the ceremony, held at a cemetery for non-Muslim dead.

The identities of the victims were unclear.

Wednesday marks the 102nd anniversary of the armistice ending World War I and is commemorated in several European countries.

The French officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

The attack follows on the heels of a stabbing Oct. 29 that slightly wounded a guard at the French Consulate in the city of Jeddah.

Read more: Biden and the Saudi quagmire in Yemen

The stabbing was carried out by a Saudi man, who was arrested. His motives remain unclear.

France has urged its citizens in the kingdom to be "on maximum alert" amid heightened tensions after an assailant decapitated a French middle school teacher who showed caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in class.

The French president’s support for caricatures as a cornerstone of free speech has riled some Muslims who view the depictions as incitement and a form of hate speech.

Wednesday's attack follows on the heels of an Oct. 29 stabbing that slightly wounded a guard at the French Consulate in the city of Jeddah.

Follow us on FacebookTwitter and Instagram to stay connected