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Saudis build desert city around CSS-2 Chinese missiles

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Wednesday, March 27, 2002

TEL AVIV Ñ Saudi Arabia has constructed a desert city around a complex for the deployment of long-range missiles.

The Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot reported on Wednesday that the complex was built in the Al Sulial desert about 500 kilometers south of the capital Riyad. The complex contains huge missile silos, residential areas and factories in King Khaled City, Middle East Newsline reported.

The newspaper published photographs from the Ikonos satellite of what was identified as two missile bases and a complex of 33 buildings, eight of them capable of storing Chinese long-range missiles. Yediot identified the missiles as the CSS-2, reported to have a range of between 2,500 and 3,500 kilometers. The missile, 24 meters long, is capable of carrying a nonconventional warhead.

Yediot said the United States has raised the construction of the missile facility with Riyad.

Saudi leaders were said to have told Washington that the CSS-2 would not be tipped with nonconventional warheads and that the facility was required to deter neighboring Iran and Iran.

The Saudi military has expanded the missile complex since 1995, when a French Spot satellite photographed the area. Riyad received deliveries of the CSS2 in 1990 as part of a deal for up to 120 missiles and 12 launchers.

The military city is located near a Saudi Air Force base where the British Tornado fighter-jet is deployed.

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