During the meeting, the Crown Prince, on behalf of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, welcomed "those coming to the Kingdom from various countries around the world to perform this year's Hajj pilgrimage." The first group of pilgrims has begun arriving in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj, which is expected to take place in early June.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the Saudi Cabinet called for "an immediate cessation of the war in Sudan to spare it further suffering and destruction."
He stressed that "ending the crisis requires a Sudanese-Sudanese political solution that respects the sovereignty and unity of this brotherly country and is based on supporting state institutions."
Since April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The war has left more than 20,000 dead and approximately 15 million displaced and refugees, according to the United Nations and local authorities. Research by American universities estimates the death toll at around 130,000.
The Council stressed its "categorical rejection of the (repeated) Israeli attacks targeting Syria's sovereignty and security."
The Cabinet warned that "the continuation of these violations and extremist policies exacerbates the risks of violence and regional instability."
On Friday, the Saudi Foreign Ministry condemned, in a statement, the Israeli airstrike that targeted the vicinity of the presidential palace in the Syrian capital, Damascus, calling for an international response to halt these violations.
On December 8, 2024, Syrian factions completed their control of the country, ending 61 years of Baath Party rule and 53 years of Assad family control, including 24 years during which Bashar al-Assad held the presidency (2000-2024).
