Qatar condemns Yemen Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia

Qatar condemns Yemen Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia
Qatar has condemned a missile barrage on Riyadh and other Saudi cities by Houthi rebels, calling for the international to protect civilians in the Yemen war.
2 min read
27 March, 2018
The missile caused one death and injured two more [AFP]

Qatar has condemned Sunday night's missile attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemen's rebel Houthi forces, which left one person dead.

Qatar's ministry of foreign affairs issued a statement late Monday condemned the attacks on "populated cities" in Saudi Arabia and called for the international community to protect civilians in the region.

"The State of Qatar condemned the missile attacks that targeted a number of populated cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Sunday," the statement read.

The ministry said the attacks on Riyadh and other Saudi cities violate international humanitarian law and Security Council Resolution 2216 on Yemen.

"The continued firing of missiles will lead to further military escalation in the region and undermine the chances of ending the ongoing conflict in Yemen," the ministry added.

Doha called on the UN Security Council "to take all measures to prevent such attacks and protect cities and innocent civilians" and for all Yemeni parties to engage in dialogue to end the war and restore stability in the country.

Sunday night saw a barrage of ballistic missiles fired from Yemen on Saudi cities. 

Saudi Arabia said that "debris" from one missile killed an Egyptian expatriate - named by media as Abdelmontaleb Ahmed Ali - and injured two more people, including the deceased's brother.

They were hurt when a "Houthi missile hit" their apartment on the top floor of a Riyadh building, Saudi broadcaster al-Arabiya reported, showing a video of the scene.

Yemen's Houthis said it carried out the attack, which coincided with the third year anniversary of the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia has blamed Iran for supplying the missiles and threatened retaliation.

The Yemen war has cost around 10,000 lives and threatened the country with famine and disease.