Saudi authorities have reportedly authorized the use of lethal force to clear land for Neom, a $500 billion futuristic desert city project.
A former Saudi intelligence officer, Colonel Rabih Alenezi, claims he was instructed to evict villagers in order to clear the land for the project. The Saudi government has said that 6,000 people have been displaced for the Neom project, though human rights have estimated that the true figure may be much higher.