UNITED NATIONS, Dec 23 (APP):The U.N. Security Council has condemned “in the strongest possible term” this week’s ballistic missile attack by Houthi rebels in Yemen against Saudi Arabia’s capital or Riyadh.
A statement approved Friday by all 15 council members “also expressed alarm at the stated intention of the Houthis to continue these attacks against Saudi Arabia, as well as to launch additional attacks against other states in the region.”
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s rebels said it intercepted a missile over Riyadh on Tuesday, according to media reports. The Houthis fired the missile targeting the Yamama Palace in Riyadh, where the Saudi monarch presides at weekly government meetings and receives foreign leaders.
The Security Council called for implementation of an arms embargo on the Houthis and called on the parties in Yemen to start negotiating a political settlement.
The council called on all UN member states to fully implement all aspects of the arms embargo against Houthi rebels as required by the relevant Security Council resolutions, and expressed its grave concern about the reports of continuing violations of the embargo.
Expressing concerns about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen, it called on all parties to allow safe, rapid and unhindered access for humanitarian supplies and personnel to the populations of all affected governorates, and to facilitate access for essential imports of food, fuel and medical supplies into Yemen and their distribution throughout the country.
The Security Council expressed concerns about the lack of progress in peacemaking and reiterated its call for all parties to engage constructively in the peace efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.
The Security Council reaffirmed its strong commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Yemen, said the statement.
