An Iraqi bedouin girl and her siblings
watch from their tent as military
coalition civil affairs groups hand out
drinking water and humanitarian food
rations to other bedouin families
Sunday, April 27, 2003 near Nasiriyah,
Iraq. Coalition civil affairs groups have
been distributing humanitarian aid to
Iraqi people in villages and cities as
well as bedouins since the end of the
war. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
................................................................ |
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia
launched a telethon Sunday to raise money for Iraqis affected by the U.S.-led
war, the official Saudi Press Agency said.
More than $9.2 million was raised in the
first seven hours, the agency reported.
The telethon, which was called by the oil-rich
state's King Fahd, was held as part of Saudi Arabia's commitment to help
Muslims all over the world, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef told state-run
television.
Nayef, who supervises the Saudi Committee
for Rescuing the Iraqi People, said the decision to stage the telethon
came "from a desire to satisfy God."
"Our aid for the afflicted in the world
is not for earthly purposes or publicity objectives," Nayef said. "Such
aid is guided by our Islamic principles and authentic values."
The news agency reported that the prince
donated about $533,000 to the Iraqis, while his deputy, Prince Ahmed bin
Abdel-Aziz, donated about $266,000. King Fahd donated $2.7 million. The
agency did not say how long the donation drive would last.
Last week, a five-truck caravan of humanitarian
aid arrived in Baghdad from Saudi Arabia, carrying food, medicine and other
supplies - including equipment for a mobile field hospital. A team of Saudi
surgeons accompanied the convoy.
Saudi Arabia officially opposed the U.S.-led
war on Iraq but provided strategic support to the coalition's military
campaign that toppled Saddam Hussein's regime. |
