Riyadh police are investigating the death of a 15-year-old Sudanese boy, who was killed during riots in the notorious Manfouha district of Riyadh on Wednesday night.
“The boy, identified as Abdulmonim M. Talha, seems to have been harassed and pursued by the rioters before being killed,” said Sudanese Ambassador Abdel Hafiz Ibrahim.
“The gangs of hooligans … are responsible for the killing of Talha,” he said.
The ambassador asked his countrymen to remain calm and assured them of the embassy’s full support.
Members of the large Sudanese community in the capital expressed outrage at the teenager’s killing. They demanded deterrent punishment for the rioters.
“Talha’s body is being kept in a hospital morgue,” said the ambassador. “We are working closely with the Saudi officials and the victim’s relatives to determine how the boy was done to death.”
The envoy clarified that reports appearing in a section of Sudan’s press regarding the deportation of 300,000 Sudanese expatriates were misleading.
“The number of those seeking repatriation to Sudan does not exceed a few thousands. About 10,500 workers have already gone back to Sudan taking advantage of amnesty,” said Ibrahim.
According to Al-Khartoum daily newspaper, there are currently 900,000 Sudanese migrant workers in the Kingdom of which 600,000 are in compliance with labor and immigration laws.
The Sudanese Expatriates Affairs Organ has formed an emergency committee to follow up on the conditions of the deportees and has announced its readiness to facilitate their return. The embassy said that it has issued around 40,500 emergency travel documents so far.