Saudi Arabia has backed a demand from Yemen's presidential council for the United Arab Emirates to withdraw within 24 hours, after a Saudi-led coalition bombed what it said was a weapons shipment for UAE-backed separatists at the port of Mukalla.
The Saudi foreign ministry accused the UAE of "pressuring" the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which seeks independence for southern Yemen, to launch recent offensives in the eastern provinces of Hadramawt and al-Mahra.
The kingdom would take measures to confront what it considered such "highly dangerous" actions, it warned.
The UAE's foreign ministry denied that the shipment contained weapons and expressed "deep regret" at the Saudi statement.
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The Saudi cabinet said on Tuesday it hopes the UAE stops any military or financial support to Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council.
ReplyDeleteChaired by King Salman, the cabinet also said that the Kingdom will not hesitate to take the necessary measures to confront any threat to its national security.
The Kingdom reiterated its full support to Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council and its government, adding that it is committed to Yemen’s stability and sovereignty.
The Arab Coalition said on Tuesday a shipment arriving from the United Arab Emirates to Yemen’s southern port of Mukalla had containers loaded with weapons and ammunition.
ReplyDeleteThe statement came in response to a statement by the UAE saying that the shipment in question did not contain weapons and were destined for the Emirati forces.
The coalition said it had information that such weapons would be transported and distributed to locations in Yemen’s Hadramout.