France, Germany, UK condemn attempted airstrikes on Riyadh

LONDON

The governments of France, Germany and the UK on Monday denounced the attempted airstrikes on Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“The E3 – France, Germany and the UK – strongly condemn the attempted aerial attacks on Riyadh on 23 January 2021,” the three countries said in a joint statement.

“Proliferation and the use of missiles and drones undermine the security and stability of the region, to which we are strongly committed," the statement added.

“We reiterate our firm attachment to the security and integrity of Saudi territory.”

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said Saturday it shot down an air target fired towards the Saudi capital Riyadh.

The coalition did not give further details, but Saudi media said the target was a missile fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen.

There was no comment from the Houthi group on the report.

The Iran-aligned rebels have repeatedly announced rocket and drone attacks on Saudi territories in response to what they say the Saudi-led assault on Yemen.

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa. The crisis escalated in 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the conflict in Yemen has so far claimed the lives of 233,000 people.