An ex-intelligence officer tells the BBC he was permitted to shoot dead those resisting eviction.

Col Rabih Alenezi says he was ordered to evict villagers from a tribe in the Gulf state to make way for The Line, part of the Neom eco-project.

One of them was subsequently shot and killed for protesting against eviction.

The Saudi government and Neom management refused to comment.

Neom, Saudi Arabia’s $500bn (£399bn) eco-region, is part of its Saudi Vision 2030 strategy which aims to diversify the kingdom’s economy away from oil.

Its flagship project, The Line, has been pitched as a car-free city, just 200m (656ft) wide and 170km (106 miles) long - though only 2.4km of the project is reportedly expected to be completed by 2030.

  • YeetPics@mander.xyzEnglish
    184·
    7 months ago

    How long before tankies start protesting the Saudi colonialism?

    Oh, they won’t? Okay.

    • theareciboincident@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      124·
      7 months ago

      They do, every year, at career fairs across the nations schools. It’s called divesting from the military industrial complex.

      You just pretend not to see it.

      This issue is brought up literally every time the Saudis are mentioned. However, your take is a fresh and interesting one that makes absolutely zero sense.

      What are you doing?

      Oh that’s right, nothing. Okay.

      It’s not even a fucking meme in the tankiest Putin apologist communities to support Saudi Arabia.

      Seriously where are you even getting this from?

      • Liz@midwest.socialEnglish
        42·
        7 months ago

        Both tankies and liberals would object to being conflated with each other.

        • Linkerbaan@lemmy.worldEnglish
          25·
          7 months ago

          Explain the difference between a liberal and a tankie.

          hint; they’re the same.