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Saudi woman climbs Everest

May 18, 2013

Raha Moharrak has become the first Saudi Arabian woman to climb Mount Everest. The 25-year-old university graduate reached the world's highest peak on Saturday morning.

https://p.dw.com/p/18aTa
Mount Everest (dpa)
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

An official at the Nepal Mountaineering Department confirmed Moharrak's feat, saying that she and more than 60 other climbers successfully scaled Everest from Nepal's side of the mountain on Saturday.

Moharrak also became the youngest Arab to reach the 8,850-meter peak (29,035 feet). She was part of a group that included the first Qatari man and the first Palestinian man to reach the summit.

Saudi Arabia is known for its strong restrictions on the rights of women and is ruled by a conservative Sunni Muslim monarchy.

"The first ever Saudi woman to attempt Everest has reached the top!! Bravo Raha Moharrak. We salute you," the group Arabs with Altitude posted on its Twitter account.

The month of May is one of the busiest on Mount Everest, because of more favorable weather.

jr/mkg (AP, dpa)