Top gun: Saudi woman evokes admiration with skills in weapons training

Gulf Today Report

Women were traditionally considered the weaker gender, and were regarded as suitable for ‘soft’ jobs such as childcare. Entering the male domain was looked down upon. That was years ago; the glass ceiling has long since been shattered. Women are not just good homemakers, but they are equally adept in other fields too, such as corporate affairs, media, engineering even space missions. Now there is another field in which they are shining, firearms training, as Saudi national Mona Al-Khurais has shown.

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Mona Al-Khurais has loved guns ever since as a young girl her father took her on hunting trips in Saudi Arabia and taught her how to shoot.

Five years ago, she turned that passion into her profession, receiving coaching in Saudi Arabia and abroad to become a licensed firearms trainer.

Saudi female firearm trainer, Mona Al Khurais, loads bullets at the Top-Gun shooting range in Riyadh. Reuters

The 36-year-old now teaches shooting at the Top Gun firing range in Riyadh, with more and more women joining her classes.

"I am so happy to practise my passion and my hobby as a coach and a range safety officer," Khurais said.

"Hopefully, I can share my experience with Saudi girls, to encourage them to enter this difficult field that was previously reserved for men."

Khurais was one of the exhibitors at the Saudi Falconry and Hunting show, an annual exhibition in Riyadh showcasing manufacturers specialising in hunting weapons, according to Reuters.

Exhibitors displayed pistols, sniper rifles, hunting rifles and semi-automatic weapons and hunting paraphernalia. Visitors with gun licences can buy the weapons on show.

Saudi female firearm trainer, Mona Al Khurais, takes aim with her long-range rifle at the Top-Gun shooting range in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Reuters

Attitudes towards women have been changing in the conservative kingdom, with women making steady gains in the workforce by taking up jobs in a range of professions.

Khurais, however, initially faced problems working in a male-dominated environment.

"The difficulties that I faced were the criticisms from women, which was surprising to me as I was expecting it from men," she said.

As more girls and women learn to handle guns, Khurais hopes their attitudes will change and that she can inspire them.

"My goal is one day to participate in the Olympics," she said.