RIYADH: Foreign diplomats in Saudi Arabia are joining a nationwide blood donation campaign following deadly Houthi attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport.
The campaign, launched on Oct. 6 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, comes as attacks by the Iran-backed group continue. Two strikes on the airport killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 300.
The British Embassy in Riyadh posted photos on Wednesday on X showing staff members donating blood.
“Alongside our Saudi friends and partners, members of the British Embassy Riyadh team joined the nationwide blood donation campaign,” it said.
The Polish Embassy also shared a photo on Wednesday of the deputy defense attache, Tomasz Sadziński, taking part, saying their staff's donations were intended to help victims of the attacks.
“Employees of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Riyadh, including the deputy defense attache, donated blood for the victims of the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia,” it said on X.
“In this way, they joined the Saudi honorary blood donation campaign. Solidarity matters.”
While the British and Polish embassies highlighted staff participation, the Canadian Embassy encouraged Canadians in Riyadh to donate.
“Solidarity can also mean lending a hand,” it said in a Wednesday post on X, directing prospective donors to King Faisal Specialist Hospital.
The embassies’ posts drew messages of gratitude from social media users, who welcomed the gestures of support.
“Thanks a lot for supporting Saudi — we appreciate that so much,” Aliah Saleh commented on the Polish Embassy’s post. Others also left thank-you messages.
Responding to the British Embassy’s post, Abdullah Al-Tamimi wrote: “We express our gratitude for this wonderful humanitarian initiative by our friends in Britain, represented by members of the British Embassy. Thank you.”
Another commenter, Ali Al-Qahtani, said the participation reflected ties that extended beyond diplomacy.
“Gestures like this reflect the depth of the partnership between our two kingdoms, well beyond the formal channels of diplomacy,” he wrote. “Thank you for standing with us.”