Arab leaders, including Syria’s Assad, arrive in Jeddah for Arab League Summit

Arab leaders and officials, including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived to the Saudi city of Jeddah on Thursday to attend the 32nd Arab League summit the following day, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV and Syrian State TV reported.

The President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ahmed al-Ghazwani, also arrived in Jeddah on Thursday to participate in the 32nd Arab Summit of the Council of the League of Arab States, the SPA reported.

Tunisian President arrived in Jeddah to head his country's delegation to the Arab summit, Al Arabiya TV reported.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, arrived earlier on Thursday to attend the summit, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) President Dr. Rashad al-Alimi also arrived in the Kingdom on Thursday for the meeting.

They were welcomed by several officials including Prince Badr bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, deputy governor of Mecca, and Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit upon their arrival at King Abdulaziz International Airport.

Saudi Arabia will host the 32nd Arab League summit on Friday where leaders will meet after recent rapprochement with Syria following years of isolation over its crackdown on protests that spiraled into a war.