Sudan condemns targeting of Saudi capital with ballistic missile
November 5, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government on Sunday has denounced the launch of a missile attack by the Iran-backed Houthi militia towards the Saudi Arabia capital, Riyadh.
In a press release extended to Sudan Tribune, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gharib Allah Khidir expressed strong condemnation for the indiscriminate shelling of a ballistic missile by the Houthis towards King Khaled bin Abdulaziz Airport in Riyadh.
He described the attack as “indiscriminate and absurd”, saying it targeted densely populated civilian areas.
Khidir praised the vigilance of the Saudi air defence, saying it effectively intercepted the missile.
He underscored Sudan’s full support for Saudi Arabia in the face of what he called “the absurd Huthi aggression which violates all international conventions and laws”.
The Foreign Ministry further reiterated Sudan’s commitment to work within the Arab alliance to restore the legitimacy and end the state of chaos in Yemen in order to achieve security, peace and stability in the country and the region.
The Sudanese army has been participating in the Saudi-led military coalition since 2015 in a regional effort to back the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after he was ousted from the capital Sanaa by the Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels.
Last June, Sudan’s President Omer al-Bashir praised the role of the army in Yemen, vowing to continue to participate in Saudi-led alliance until it achieves its goals.
However, a member of the Sudanese parliament last month called to end the presence of the Sudanese troops in Yemen, saying “many disadvantages are emerging due to the participation in this war”.
In May, Sudanese military sources dismissed media reports that 80 Sudanese troops have been killed in Yemen saying only 21 were killed, including 4 officers.
(ST)