DUBAI: Saudi state airline Saudia said in a post on its official Twitter account that it was suspending flights to and from Toronto, the latest in a series of measures the kingdom announced on Monday in its diplomatic row with Canada.
The kingdom early Monday gave Canada’s envoy Dennis Horak 24 hours to leave the country, in an abrupt rupture of relations over what Riyadh slammed as “interference” in its internal affairs.
The decision came after Canada demanded the immediate release of human rights activists detained in a new crackdown, including the sister of jailed blogger Raif Badawi.
Badawi’s wife and children currently live in Canada.
Ottawa said it was “seriously concerned” and was seeking “greater clarity” on Riyadh’s move, announced on Twitter by the Saudi foreign ministry.
