Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Official Web Site
BERILIN – SABA
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Dr. Afrah al-Zouba held talks today, Thursday, with members of the German-Arab Parliamentary Group and the Defense and Economic Cooperation and Development Committees in the German Parliament (Bundestag) on the developments in Yemen and the repercussions of the Houthi terrorist militias’ escalation on civilians and regional and international security.
Al-Zouba highlighted the militias’ attacks on civilians, civilian facilities and infrastructure, noting that the militias intensified their attacks after a plane belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard landed at Hodeida Airport. She explained that the plane carried money, advanced weapons and Iranian experts to support the militias in their military escalation.
This constitutes a violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and international law, she stressed.
In response to German parliamentarians’ inquiries, the Foreign Minister explained the goals of ‘Operation Dawn of Yemen’ and its recent developments on the ground, stressing that the operation was a necessary option to protect civilians and restore state institutions after the militias blocked opportunities to reach a political solution.
She remarked that the militia attacks extend to the territory of our brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and that their threat to international navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait affects regional and international peace and security.
The Foreign Minister also underlined the humanitarian consequences of the siege imposed by the militias on the city of Taiz, and the suffering it has caused civilians, especially women and children.
She cited the grave violations committed by the militia, including child recruitment, widespread and random planting of anti-personnel mines, the abduction of UN staff and exposing them to abuses that have led to the death of some. She warned that international overlooking of these violations encourages the militia to continue them.
The Foreign Minister called on the German government, parliament and the European Union to take a tougher stance on Iran’s role in supporting the militias’ escalation, to review international pressure tools and to speed up the designation of Houthi militias as a terrorist organization, cutting off their funding sources and stopping weapons supplies to them.