A Saudi security official says border guards have detained more than 15,000 people crossing illegally through the country's southern border with Yemen in the past 45 days.

In a statement Tuesday, spokesman for the border guards in southwestern Jazan province, Brig. Gen. Abdullah Mahfouth said guards have also seized around 250 weapons and hundreds of pounds (kilos) of narcotics in the past 30 days.

The nearly 932 mile-long (1,500 kilometers) border is frequently crossed by migrants seeking work in the kingdom, as well as militants and drug traffickers.

The border is sometimes violent. Three Saudi border guards were killed in the past week by unidentified gunmen who fired shots from inside Yemen. Two guards were killed Wednesday in the province of Aseer and the third was killed Monday in Jazan.
 

Source: Associated Press