OIC condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers
Permanent Representatives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have strongly condemned the aggression by the Houthi militias on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea after crossing Bab al-Mandab strait.
The condemnation came from the final communiqué of an OIC meeting held at the headquarters of the General Secretariat in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
The meeting was held at the request of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to discuss the Iran-backed Houthi militias’ aggression, said an official release.
In the meeting, the OIC Secretary General Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen also urged the international community to act towards ensuring necessary protection for international navigation in the Red Sea and to counter Houthi piracy.
"These heinous attacks are perpetrated amid similar terrorist operations by Iran-backed putschist Houthi militias against international maritime traffic and international trade, and the planting of hundreds of naval mines intended to cause damage to the interests of the countries of the region and the entire world, in total disregard for the possible disastrous environmental and economic repercussions of oil spills in Bab al-Mandab and the Red Sea areas," the release said.
The meeting expressed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia in all the measures it takes to protect its resources, security and stability.
The OIC officials affirmed support for the efforts of the Coalition in Support of Legitimacy in Yemen aimed at taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of maritime navigation and trade in Bab Al Mandab and the Red Sea.
The meeting called upon the Security Council to take all possible measures to ensure the prompt and full implementation of Security Council resolutions 2216 and 2231 to prevent the escalation of Houthi attacks.
The participants praised their support for international humanitarian and relief efforts to ease the sufferings of the Yemeni people and commended the launching by the coalition countries of the Comprehensive Humanitarian Operations Plan in Yemen and the coalition’s contribution to financing those operations.
The meeting also condemned the rejection by the Iran-backed Houthi militias of the UN’s proposals to increase commercial and humanitarian shipments through the Red Sea ports, including the new arrangements for the management of the port of Al-Hudaydah, which would improve the humanitarian situation in Yemen.
Bangladesh as the urrent chair of Council of Foreign Ministers, presided over the meeting.
Dr Md Nazrul Islam, Deputy Chief Of Mission, Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia, chaired the meeting.
