His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday announced several new development projects in the Mafraq Governorate.

During a visit to the tribes of the Northern Badia area, the King instructed the government to start work on a new hospital by the beginning of next year.

The area until now has been served by a mobile hospital which will operate for another year until the new hospital is complete, the King's adviser for tribal affairs, Sharif Fawaz Zaben Abdullah, said.

“The King instructed the government to prepare the necessary studies and designs of the hospital,” said Zaben Abdullah.

In addition to the building of the hospital, King Abdullah instructed the Hashemite Fund for Badia Development to establish a 20,000-dunum reserve in the Ruweished area for citizens to graze their cattle.

During the visit, the King also inspected the Um Al Quttan housing project, which was implemented by the Royal Court as part of the King's nationwide initiative to provide housing for underprivileged citizens.

Several tribes hosted the King in their villages, including the Bani Khalid, Neiaym, Sarhan, Ahl Al Jabal, Al Issa and Sardieh.

During his visit to Ahl Al Jabal, the King met with his previous trainer in the Armourd Corps of the Jordan Armed Forces, Hussein Khamis Adamat, who trained the King during the period 1981-1982.

In 1992, Adamat met again with the King when His Majesty, then Prince, commanded the 2nd Armoured-Car Regiment, 40th Armoured Brigade.

“I participated in military manoeuvres for three months with the then- Prince,” Adamat said, adding that they had not met for 16 years.

“Today, I am so happy to see the King and I am mostly happy because he remembered me,” he added.