LONDON: Britain, France and Germany on Thursday condemned a spate of attacks on Saudi Arabia claimed by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, saying they were a “violation of international law.”
In a joint statement, the E3 foreign ministries said that “continued attacks of this nature, including those which target civilian areas... illustrate the seriousness of the threat that the proliferation of drones poses to the stability of the region.”
Earlier on Thursday, the UK separately condemned the attack on Abha International airport.
The Houthi militia attacked the airport in the south of the Kingdom on Wednesday, leaving a commercial plane on the tarmac engulfed in flames.
“The Houthis must end these outrageous attacks,” foreign minister Dominic Raab said in a tweet.
We condemn the Houthis’ latest attack against Saudi Arabia that hit a civilian plane at Abha Airport. The Houthis must end these outrageous attacks.
The UK is steadfast in its unwavering support for the security of Saudi territory.
— Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) February 11, 2021
Several other countries and organizations have released statements condemning and denouncing the recent attack.
The European Union also condemned the attack on Thursday and called for a halt.
The attack “is the latest in a series of attacks that endanger civilians, increase regional instability and delay prospects for resolving the Yemeni conflict,” said Peter Stano, spokesperson for the European External Action Service in Brussels.
Last week the Houthi militia also sparked international condemnation after launching a series of drones toward Saudi Arabia, which were intercepted by Arab coalition forces.
Raab said that “the UK is steadfast in its unwavering support for the security of Saudi territory.”
The new Biden administration has also renewed its commitment to protecting the Kingdom’s territory and its people.
The attack came only days after the US moved to delist the insurgents as “terrorists.”
#abhaairport: Joint Statement of the spokespersons of the Foreign Ministries of France, the United Kingdom and Germany on the attack on Abha International Airport pic.twitter.com/FGCjwEo6hN
— GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) February 11, 2021
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the European Parliament also condemned the ongoing violence in Yemen that had “degenerated into the worst humanitarian crisis in the world,” it said.
“There can be no military solution to the conflict and the crisis can only be resolved sustainably through an inclusive Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned negotiation process,” said MEPs in a resolution adopted on Thursday by 638 votes for, 12 against and 44 abstentions.
MEPs said nearly 80 percent of Yemenis — more than 24 million people — are in need of humanitarian assistance, while 50,000 people are living in famine-like conditions, calling on “all parties to facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief and other necessary goods to the population.”
They said this figure is expected to triple by the middle of the year.
“All parties must urgently refrain from starving civilians as a method of warfare, MEPs stress, whilst pushing for targeted measures to be imposed against those taking part in acts that violate international humanitarian law,” the statement added.
They also urged the European Commission and EU member states to lead international efforts to urgently scale up humanitarian aid, after the bloc pledged to triple aid this year.
The E3, in their statement, also said: “We reiterate our firm commitment to the security and integrity of Saudi territory, and reaffirm our commitment (and) strong support for a swift resolution of the Yemeni conflict which will bring much needed stability to the region,” the E3 statement added.
(With AFP and Reuters)
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