At the beginning of his reign as King, King Abdulaziz faced several challenges in foreign relations, among them the unresolved border issue with Yemen. The boundaries between the two countries had not yet been defined, which led Imam Yahya bin Hamid al‑Din to fear that King Abdulaziz might expand southward. Consequently, he attempted to seize the people of Najran and annex the region to Yemen. When he began occupying Najran, the people of Najran revolted and went to King Abdulaziz seeking assistance and protection.
During the Hajj season of 1350 AH / 1932 AD, a delegation from the Yam tribes went to King Abdulaziz, accompanied by Abdulaziz Al‑Askar, the King’s representative in Abha, and Jaber Abu Saq, to renew the pact they had concluded with Imam Faisal bin Turki for their protection and security, and to inform him that Imam Yahya had mobilized his forces in al‑Far‘. After arriving in Riyadh and presenting their request, they remained for six months awaiting the King’s instructions to return to Najran with reinforcements.
King Abdulaziz ordered that they be supplied with two banners—one for Ibn Munayf and the other for Abu Saq—so they could proceed to Najran while awaiting the arrival of the Saudi army.
In 1352 AH / 1934 AD, King Abdulaziz dispatched two military expeditions. One was led by his Crown Prince, Prince Saud, who planned the attack on Najran and advanced stealthily through the rugged mountains of northwestern Yemen. The second force moved toward Al‑Hudaydah along the coastal route under the command of Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz.
Prince Saud entered Najran coming from Najd via Khamis Mushait, accompanied by several princes, including Faisal bin Saad, who commanded one of the divisions of Saud’s expedition; Mohammed bin Saud Al‑Kabir; Khalid bin Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, who led another division; and Abdullah Al‑Faisal Al‑Farhan.
On his way to Najran, Saud met Sheikh Muhairiq Al‑Fahad from Badr Al‑Janoub, who provided him with a guide named Jadi‘ bin Hamad Al‑Fahad, and Hashan bin Luwaif Al‑Fahad, who also joined the escort. They all proceeded toward the battlefield through Dhahran Al‑Janoub, stopping at Al‑Thuwaylah, then moving on to Al‑Hammad, where they camped for three months to direct the military operations.
The Al‑Hammad region lies near the Yemeni border and covers an area of 460,000 square meters. It was chosen for its water sources in al‑‘Aaqah, its wide open terrain, and its elevated points that allowed full visibility of the surrounding area. It was also close to the border and rich in qaradh trees, known for their high‑quality firewood.
The forces under Prince Saud consisted of seven brigades, each comprising one thousand fighters, known as a shawka. The army included men from the tribes of Al‑Ajman, Al‑Murra, Yam, Subei‘, Shahran, Al‑Dawasir, and Qahtan, along with renowned loyal and courageous men such as Jaber Abu Saq and Ibn Saeed (one of King Abdulaziz’s akhawiya), and other heroes who sacrificed their lives for the homeland.
Prince Saud directed and planned the battles from “Ghar Saud” (Saud’s Cave) in Al‑Hammad—still visitable today in Najran, located about 90 km from the city center. Near the cave lie the graves of several of the Crown Prince’s akhawiya who died in the campaign due to “al‑sadam” (malaria) or lack of provisions. Nearby is “Hayd Saud”, a rock used by Saud as an observation tower overlooking the Yemeni border, as well as Qaharat Hassanah, a small mountain east of the camp, and Radum al‑Riqabah, stone‑built lookout posts.
After encamping in Al‑Hammad, the Saudi army advanced and seized Baqm, a village in the Tihama mountains, then moved on to Naq‘ah to confront the Yemeni forces. Naq‘ah, a village belonging to Sa‘dah, is surrounded by mountains known for their extreme difficulty of access and ascent. The Saudi army had little knowledge of this terrain, which was known as “the Mountains of Oppression”, and movement between positions often required climbing with ropes.
As the fighting between the two sides intensified, supplies to the Saudi army dwindled due to the difficulty of reaching their positions. Their food resources became scarce, especially after Yemeni forces attacked Prince Saud’s encampments in Al‑Hammad, stealing provisions and burning the tents, to the point that the soldiers were forced to eat al‑hada’ah—a scavenger bird that feeds on carrion and is ordinarily not consumed.
The Yemeni tribes were fully familiar with the mountain passes and terrain, enabling them to increase their raids on the Saudis day after day, while Prince Saud and his men were accustomed to desert warfare, whose methods differ entirely from mountain combat.
Prince Saud therefore divided his army into four divisions:
- The first division, under the command of Faisal bin Saad bin Abdulrahman, was directed toward Baqm.
- The second division, led by Khalid bin Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, was to advance with Najran on its left and Baqm on its right, aiming to reach the outskirts of Sa‘dah.
- The third division, under Prince Saud’s direct command, advanced from the eastern side of the area where the first division was moving, with all forces converging toward the front.
- The fourth division secured parts of Najran with the assistance of its inhabitants. This required Prince Saud to dispatch an additional force that succeeded in capturing Naq‘ah, the decisive battle that ended the war in favor of the Saudi forces. The remaining Yemeni troops retreated toward Wā’ilah, and the Saudis pursued them until they were expelled from the region.
Crown Prince Saud achieved victory over the Yemenis at the Battle of Haradh, advancing deep into their territory until he approached Ghamdan. He also secured the region between Sa‘dah and Najran, despite the fact that Sa‘dah remains difficult to access even today due to its rugged approaches. Yemen’s Crown Prince Ahmad, commander of the Yemeni army, was stationed there. The inhabitants of these areas—predominantly Zaydi tribes—were known as some of the fiercest fighters in Yemen, which attests to the bravery of the Saudi forces who formed the main expedition against Yemen and succeeded in resisting both the army and the tribal fighters.
Prince Saud’s presence at the head of his forces enabled him to draw large numbers of tribes and powerful Yemeni fighting factions into direct confrontation. One of the greatest advantages of this strategy was that it pulled the main strength of the Yemeni army toward Saud’s front, thereby easing the advance of the second Saudi force under Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz, which moved along the coastal route with motorized units and encountered little resistance until reaching Al‑Hudaydah.
When the Saudi army secured Baqm, Naq‘ah, and Al‑Hudaydah, Imam Yahya realized that he had lost the war. He requested negotiations with King Abdulaziz, who sent a message to his Crown Prince ordering him to halt military operations. Prince Saud returned to Najran, encamping in Al‑Far‘, and began the exchange of prisoners. As was his custom in warfare, he honored the Yemeni captives materially and morally—especially the tribal leaders—before returning them to their homeland. Among them was Ibn Rukān, chief of the Bani Jama‘ah tribe, who had been captured at Hidadah and whom Prince Saud released and honored before sending him back to Yemen.
The war concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Taif in 1353 AH / 1934 AD. Prince Saud remained in Najran with his forces for nearly three months until security was fully restored, after which he appointed Assaf bin Hussein as governor of the region. British confidential sources noted that this event significantly drew international attention to Crown Prince Saud.
The poet Mohammed bin Ali Al‑Hammamah of Najran composed the following verses on the occasion of the Yemeni surrender:
“Istamna‘ū Hamdān mā hum bidh‑lān min ‘aqb darb muḥkamāt al‑qafāli Wa‑istaslamū lil‑shaykh Khālid wa‑Shuqran wa‑Saud Abū Khayrayn dhāk al‑Hilālī.”
In 1362 AH, Prince Saud built the first school in old Najran, known as Al‑Madrasah Al‑Amīriyyah, in the district called Aba Al‑Saud, whose ruins still stand opposite the first government headquarters established in the Saudi era by order of the Crown Prince. The school was later moved to a modern building and renamed King Saud School.
As for the name Aba Al‑Saud, two explanations exist:
- That it was named in honor of Prince Saud’s victory in the battle, meaning “the father Saud.”
- That it derives from al‑sa‘d, referring to a place where people gather to resolve disputes.
Eyewitness 1:
Narrator: Hamil bin Misfar bin Hamil Al‑Harith (of the Al‑Harith clan of the Yam tribe, residents of Al‑Hammad). Interview date: Shawwal 1423 AH / 2003 AD.
Hamil bin Misfar recounted that when Prince Saud came to rescue the people of Najran from the occupation of Imam Yahya Hamid al‑Din, he was accompanied by Faisal bin Saad, Mohammed bin Saud Al‑Kabir, and another prince. The vanguard was led by Faisal bin Saad, accompanied by several tribes, including Qahtan ibn Shaflut. Upon arriving at Al‑Muntazah, Faisal bin Saad had with him seven banners: Al‑Ma‘, Harb, the banner of Mutrik bin Shaflut, Asir, and Qahtan. Each tribal contingent had its own leader and banner, and each banner represented a shawka of one thousand men.
When Faisal bin Saad reached Al‑Muntazah ahead of Prince Saud, he was accompanied by cavalry and camels. He asked Hamil to identify the borders and landmarks, and Hamil pointed out the locations of Al‑Hisn, Baqm, Naq‘ah, Rumhah, Al‑Milh, and ‘Ar. Faisal then instructed Hamil to deliver a letter to Crown Prince Saud personally, who at that time was still behind Dhahran Al‑Janoub and had not yet reached Al‑Thuwaylah (north of Al‑Hammad and ‘Akifah) until the month of Muharram.
Hamil recounts that on the day he met Crown Prince Saud, he had gone ahead to scout his arrival. Before reaching Dhahran Al‑Janoub, he saw the vast columns of the army approaching—among them the banner of Subei‘—and he witnessed a multitude “known only to God.” When he informed them that he carried a message for Prince Saud, the Prince—mounted on his horse—recognized him, halted his march, and ordered the mizmar (military horn) to be sounded so that his soldiers would gather and hear the messenger’s news.
After reading the letter, Prince Saud told his men that Hamil bin Misfar bin Hamil had had his sheep taken, and that he had guided Faisal bin Saad to the locations of Naq‘ah, ‘Ar, Rumhah, Baqm, and Al‑Milh, affirming that he was a trustworthy man who knew the borders of the Zaydis (Yemenis).
Prince Saud then said: “O Hamilan, come with me up this ridge (Al‑Thuwaylah) and show me the routes to Najran, the routes to Naq‘ah, Rumhah, ‘Ar, Baqm, and Al‑Milh as written in the letter.” Hamil replied: “Your Highness, we cannot see the routes.” Saud answered: “You say you know the forts; we call the forts ‘routes.’” Hamil said: “Yes.” Saud replied: “This is the route to Najran, and this is the route to Naq‘ah,” and he began explaining all the paths mentioned.
Saud then ordered that Hamil be mounted on one of the camels, and the Prince began chanting as he rode:
“A wolf seeks our land, and the land of his people behind him. O God, protect our land and the land of those who abandoned life.”
He meant that the Zaydi fighter had abandoned his own land and sought to take Najran and its surroundings.
Hamil accompanied them until they reached ‘Ishat Saud (Saud’s tent). Upon arrival, the servants immediately laid out a carpet (zawliyah) for him inside the rock shelter known as Ghar Saud. Present with the Prince were Mohammed bin Saud Al‑Kabir and another unnamed prince, while Faisal bin Saad had already advanced toward Baqm with his forces. The army advanced with a mujallajilah—a wheeled device producing a wailing sound—followed by horses, camels, and soldiers.
Crown Prince Saud continued chanting verses, including:
“Najran, O palm‑frond shade, your blame falls upon the Imam’s son.”
And:
“Wolves, O burdens of the march, set your pace to a dirham’s worth.” (Meaning: they were advancing too slowly and he wanted them to move faster.)
And again:
“A wolf seeks our land and the land of his people behind him. O God, protect our land and the land of those who abandoned life.”
His soldiers repeated after him: “and the land of those who abandoned life.”
Hamil then showed them the water sources used to supply the troops in Al‑Hammad. Saud said: “We will camp at Al‑‘Uwayq”—its correct name being Al‑‘Aaqah, though he called it Al‑‘Uwayq. He then told Hamil: “We want you to go and find livestock for us tonight. For every ten you bring, you will receive one riyal.” Hamil replied: “If I cannot find sheep, shall I bring cattle?” Saud answered: “Meat is meat—bring it.”
Hamil went to the village of Al‑Hajir, bought ten sheep for thirty French riyals and a bull for ten, and returned to find that the Crown Prince’s yellow tents had been erected.
He continued: the battle for Naq‘ah began, the cannon was positioned toward it, and the bombardment commenced. Seventy Zaydi sheikhs were captured, and the signal was placed at the head of the mountain pass. They cried out: “Ya Sa‘udah! Ya Sa‘udah!” as the cannon struck them in the pass.
When asked about the size of Prince Saud’s forces, Hamil said: “The banners of Subei‘, Harb, Mutair, Al‑Dawasir, Al‑Ajman—each banner had one thousand to twelve hundred men. Each banner was a shawka, a thousand fighters. He had between seventy and eighty thousand men.” They slept in tents; Prince Saud had his own tent, and each prince had a white tent, while the cavalry and camel riders slept in the open.
Regarding the weapons used, he mentioned: Nimsa rifles, Sawari rifles, the Saudi Belgian rifle, the Khedival rifle, Talbak Shar, Al‑Sharafa rifles, the rattling machine gun, the cannon, and the “machine” whose noise struck fear into the enemy.
Hamil himself carried a two‑shot rifle known as Um ‘Arqoub, called Nimsa. Prince Saud’s servant Sha‘ban, responsible for ammunition, tested the rifle and confirmed its reliability before issuing Hamil thirty rounds.
Prince Saud remained ninety days in Al‑Hammad, during which he liberated Naq‘ah and Baqm and captured Yemeni prisoners. Meanwhile, several Saudis were held hostage by Imam Yahya, including ‘Abbud bin Nusayb, Ali bin Sa‘id Al‑Harith, Nasser bin Suwman, Abdullah bin Mani‘ Al‑Harith, and Muhairiq.
Hamil added that Saud stayed three months in Al‑Hammad, and he saw him once when he arrived from Dhahran Al‑Janoub and remained with him until Hamil departed for Baqm.
After the war ended, King Saud descended to Najran, remained there, received the people, renewed their allegiance, and distributed gifts. His tent was near Ghar Saud, with the treasury on its western side and the tent to the south.
Eyewitness 2: Interview with Sheikh Saud Al‑‘Amaj, one of King Saud’s Akhawiya (royal companions), may God have mercy on him. Estimated age: approximately 120 years. Interview location: Al‑‘Amajiyyah, between Al‑Kharj and Riyadh. Interview conducted by: Mar‘i bin Mohammed Al‑Si‘ayri, dated 20/12/1426 AH.
Sheikh Saud said:
“No matter how much I speak about King Saud, I cannot do him justice. What an exceptional man he was—rarely does time produce his like. He was known for his piety, obedience, and fear of God, both outwardly and inwardly. He was truthful with himself and with others. All noble qualities were gathered in him—generosity, courage, and a kind heart. His nature was forgiveness and tolerance; he disliked revenge.
I came to know King Saud after his father, King Abdulaziz—may God have mercy on them both—appointed him Crown Prince. I was one of the Akhawiya of Prince Fahd bin Mohammed bin Abdulrahman. On one occasion, I accompanied him on a hunting trip in the desert near the Hijaz road in Riyadh. By good fortune, King Saud was also out hunting near Hasat Qahtan. We met him there, and Prince Fahd sent me with a gift to King Saud—a falcon from his own birds.
When I entered the King’s camp, I found him sitting with his Akhawiya, among them Ibn Sa‘doun. Shortly after I sat, King Saud became upset with Ibn Sa‘doun for some reason, but his anger did not last long; he soon calmed down. He then asked his companions one by one: ‘Was Ibn Sa‘doun at fault or not?’ All answered: ‘Yes, he was at fault.’ Among them were Al‑Waleed bin Shuwaiyah and Suleiman bin ‘Ubayd bin Rashid.
When my turn came, the King asked me the same question: ‘What do you say, O khawiya?’ He did not yet know my name. I replied: ‘Your Highness, do you want the answer in bushut or in bukhut?’ He said: ‘As you wish.’ I said: ‘Let it be in bushut.’
Then I told him a story: ‘A man from the south once went to Sheikh Ibn Hadi, having been told that Ibn Hadi was generous. When he arrived, he found Ibn Hadi angry with his companions. The southerner wanted to recite a poem praising him but did not know how to begin. When he finally had the chance, he said: “By God, O Prince, you are like our black she‑donkey—she gives this one a hawk and gives that one a hawk.”’
Before I finished, King Saud burst into laughter and forgave his companion. That moment was my doorway into King Saud’s favor, and I remained one of his Akhawiya until his final departure from the Kingdom.
I accompanied him during the Najran campaign when he was Crown Prince. When King Abdulaziz sent an army south under Prince Faisal bin Saad and Prince Abdulaziz bin Musaad, and when the army reached near Abha, King Abdulaziz ordered his son Saud to join them, trusting his military and political abilities. We departed from Riyadh with Crown Prince Saud and joined the forces ahead of us in Abha.
The army then split into two groups: — One under Ibn Musaad, who descended toward Tihama and joined Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz. — The second under Prince Saud and Prince Faisal bin Saad.
We marched until we reached Al‑Hammad. There, we again divided: — A group under Prince Faisal, — And a group under Prince Saud.
From Al‑Hammad we advanced toward Baqm and Al‑Sada‘. Prince Saud remained encamped in Al‑Hammad, directing the battle and sending us provisions to Baqm and Al‑Sada‘, where we stayed forty days fighting the Yemenis from a distance—exchanging fire without direct engagement.
When provisions ran out, we abandoned our tents and returned to Prince Saud in Al‑Hammad, staying with him for a month. After that month, a message arrived from King Abdulaziz—following the signing of the Treaty of Taif with Imam Yahya—ordering the cessation of hostilities and the movement toward Najran.
I then returned to Najd by Prince Saud’s instruction, while he proceeded with his army to Najran, where he remained for three months. After security was restored, Prince Saud appointed Assaf bin Hussein as governor of Najran.
By my oath to God, in all my years I have never dealt with a man like King Saud. He was truthful, compassionate, and formidable. He became angry and pleased quickly, and I never knew him to bear grudges. He loved poetry and the tales of the desert.
I still remember one of his acts of kindness during a hunting trip. Our food and water were in a supply vehicle driven by a man from the Murrah tribe. As we climbed a sand dune, the water spilled over the food, rendering it unusable. We sent another vehicle to Riyadh to bring supplies, and we remained two days with almost nothing but a little water. King Saud said: ‘The food and water we have—each man takes only his share. No one takes more than another. I am one of you.’
One of the Akhawiya was ill. The King went to his chest, took out medicine for fever and headache, brought a cup of water, sat by his head until he awoke, and said: ‘Get up—I have medicine for you.’ Such was his compassion.
Another time, in Al‑Suman, we had only one vehicle. We met a Bedouin herding his livestock. He was thirsty, so we gave him water. The King asked: ‘How far are you from your family?’ The man replied: ‘If I walk now, I will reach them at midnight.’ The King said: ‘Ride with us—we will take you.’ We drove him to his people. When he invited us for coffee, we accepted. As we prepared to leave, the Bedouin asked: ‘May I know who you are?’ The King replied: ‘We are your brothers in faith and homeland.’ The Bedouin insisted: ‘By God, tell me who you are.’ The King said: ‘I am Saud, son of King Abdulaziz—and this is a gift from me to you,’ handing him a bag of money.
The King had instructed us never to reveal his identity, so I said: ‘Your Highness, you told us not to speak, yet you told him yourself.’ He replied: ‘You do not understand. The man asked me by God’s name. I cannot lie. This is my nature—whoever dislikes it, let him dislike it.’
I recall another noble act. My wife and daughter were suffering from tuberculosis, and treatment was not available in the Kingdom at that time. The King arranged for their treatment in Lebanon. I accompanied them, and when the hospital informed us that treatment would take two years, I stayed with them the entire period—at the King’s expense.
I lived with King Saud for more than twenty‑five years. Never once did I see him turn away a person in need. He fulfilled people’s requests and never dismissed anyone disappointed. I never saw him insult or strike anyone. He possessed both awe and affection. He would sometimes become upset with his Akhawiya, then quickly reconcile and honor them. His displeasure was rare.
We could tell when he was not at ease by the movement of his feet as he sat—tapping them on the ground, lowering his shemagh over his hands, then raising it again. On days when he was content, he would enter briskly, sit with his feet firmly on the ground, adjust his shemagh neatly, smile, and joke with those around him.
King Saud composed poetry. I remember only a few lines from a long poem:
“Make them like the desert’s coursing steeds, whose engines roam all Najd’s plains. We hunt them from behind the circling birds, O brother, how many a startled prey we chased. Only the noble gazelle tastes the milk, not every creature of the valley. After their heads fell like scattered stones, we claimed the Najd that none could take from us.”
Al‑Dahmashi Al‑‘Anzi, one of the men of Khub Al‑‘Uraymidi west of Buraidah—known for piety and courage—carried the banner of Al‑‘Uraymidi in Crown Prince Saud’s campaign against Yemen. He was martyred in battle in 1352 AH / 1934 AD.
Source: Fahdah bint Saud bin Abdulaziz Document archived in the Department of Historical Records.