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Saudi Arabia orders citizens to leave Lebanon over Hariri crisis

Saudi Arabia orders citizens to leave Lebanon over Hariri crisis

Saudi Arabia asks citizens to leave Lebanon

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Saad al-Hariri had resigned as prime minister on Saturday while still in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has asked its citizens to leave Lebanon as the Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc called on Saudi Arabia to "stop interfering"in Lebanese affairs.

Saad al-Hariri had resigned as prime minister on Saturday while still in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon believes Hariri is being held in the Saudi Kingdom.

A senior Lebanese politician told Reuters: "When he went (to Saudi Arabia) he was asked to stay there and ordered to resign. They ordered him to read his resignation statement and he has been held under house arrest since."

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Saudi Arabia has denied heis under house arrest. The Saudi government said Hezbollah which is part Hariri's coalition had "hijacked" Lebanon's political system.

During hisresignation speech from Saudi Arabia, Hariri had slammed Iran and Hezbollah adding that he feared being assassinated.

Saudi Arabia said its citizens should leave Lebanon "as soon as possible".

A foreign ministry source told AFP, quoting state news agency SPA, also called on Saudis not to travel to Lebanon because of "the situation" in the country, without elaborating.