Left to die … the camels kicked out of Saudi

HUNDREDS of camels have died of starvation and thirst after they were driven out of Saudi Arabia during its row with Qatar.

Some animals perished when they became stuck at the border between the two countries where there was insufficient food and water. Others have been left to die by the roadside after their owners were given one hour to leave their farms.

The deaths happened when the Saudis expelled the Qatari owners of more than 15,000 camels and 10,000 sheep as part of their row with the tiny Gulf state. More than 9,000 camels were driven out in 36 hours. Qatar, which is 4,400 sq miles in size, used the vast spaces of its neighbour, which is 830,000 sq miles, for grazing animals.

Hussein Al-marri, a camel owner, from Abu Samra, said: “I have returned from Saudi Arabia. I myself saw more than 100 dead camels on the road as well as hundreds of lost camels and sheep.” Another farmer, who did not want to be named, added: “I lost 50 heads of sheep and five camels, and there are 10 missing.”

Video footage showed the animals herded into huge pens after restricted border opening hours meant only a few hundred could cross each day, and many died of thirst or injuries.

Last month the Saudi Arabia-led alliance launched a diplomatic and transport blockade over Doha’s closeness to Iran and alleged links with extremism.

At the same time it ordered all Qataris out of the country, including nomadic farmers and their animals. Many creatures were saved when the environment ministry provided shelter for more than 8,000 camels on the Qatari side of the border with food and water.

Officials also said that specialist teams of animal experts and veterinarians had been assigned to the farmers. Many camels are used for farming products such as milk and also breeding, a lucrative industry in Qatar, where camel racing remains very popular.

There are still 150,000 Qatari camels in Saudi Arabia and it is not clear when or if they will be expelled.