Iraq Underlines Strong Opposition to Saudi Military Attack on Yemen

Iraq stressed its opposition to the use of force in Yemen, expressing deep concern that the Saudi-led aggression on Thursday would complicate the situation in the Muslim Persian Gulf state.
“The Iraqi Foreign Ministry expresses its concern at the military intervention in Yemeni affairs, which leads to complicating the situation further,” it said in a statement.

“Our stance is to reject the use of force and to call on all Yemeni sides to put their differences behind through serious discussion.”

Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes against Yemen early Thursday, one day after the US-backed Yemeni president fled the country.

Riyadh claimed that it has bombed the positions of the Ansarullah fighters and launched attacks against the Sana’a airport and the Dulaimi airbase.

But despite Riyadh’s claims, Saudi warplanes have flattened a number of homes near Sana’a international airport. Based on early reports, the Saudi airstrikes on Yemen have so far claimed the lives of 25 civilians with more deaths feared, Yemeni sources said.

At least 25 Yemeni civilians, including children, were killed and tens of other wounded in the Saudi air strike.

Five Persian Gulf States — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait — backed by the US have declared war on Yemen in a joint statement issued earlier Thursday.

US President Barack Obama authorized the provision of logistical and intelligence support to the military operations, National Security Council Spokesperson Bernadette Meehan said late Wednesday night.

She added that while US forces were not taking direct military action in Yemen, Washington was establishing a Joint Planning Cell with Saudi Arabia to coordinate US military and intelligence support.

The Saudi aggression has received growing international condemnation as it is pushing the region and the world into an unprecedented fast-growing war as its ISIL mercenaries are on the brink of complete annihilation in Iraq and Syria.

Russia expressed “deep concern” over the worsening situation in Yemen.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that the Yemen crisis could be solved only through national dialogue.

Beijing also expressed its deep concern over the Saudi aggression with Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying urging all parties to act in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions on Yemen, and to resolve the dispute through dialogue.

Hua told a news conference that China hopes all parties involved will “quickly resolve the dispute through political dialogue, solve the current crisis and restore domestic stability and normality to Yemen at an early date.”

In Tehran, the foreign ministry deplored the airstrike, calling it a “dangerous” move in violation of international obligations for respecting countries’ national sovereignty.
“Resorting to military acts against Yemen which is entangled in an internal crisis and fighting terrorism will further complicate the situation, spread the range of crisis and destroy opportunities to settle the internal differences in Yemen peacefully,” Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said on Thursday.

She underlined the necessity for implementing national agreements among the Yemeni groups and parties as soon as possible, and called for an immediate halt to air strikes and military acts against the Yemeni people and the country.

Afkham expressed concern about the spread of extremism and strengthening terrorism, and said, “This aggression will merely result in the spread of terrorism and extremism and will spread insecurity to the entire region.”

Syria said it was “deeply concerned” about dangerous developments in Yemen.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah condemned as “unjust aggression” the Saudi-led air strikes in Yemen, warning that it takes the region towards increased tension.

Hezbollah called on Saudi Arabia and its allies to immediately and unconditionally halt the strikes.

“This adventure, (which) lacks wisdom and legal and legitimate justification and which is led by Saudi Arabia, is taking the region towards increased tension and dangers for the future and the present of the region,” its statement said.

“We see that this aggression secures American interests and offers a great favor for the Zionist enemy,” it said, a reference to Israel.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) expressed deep concern over the civilian deaths resulted from the Saudi-led air strikes on Yemen, demanding warring parties to obey the rules of war.

In a statement, the ICRC urged all sides to protect civilians and medical facilities, ensure the wounded get medical attention, and treat detainees humanely, in line with the Geneva Conventions.

“All parties involved in the current round of violence are bound by the rules governing the conduct of hostilities,” said Cedric Schweizer, who heads an ICRC delegation of 300 aid workers in Yemen.

Under international humanitarian law, all countries and parties involved in the conflict must distinguish between military and civilian objects, and uphold the principles of proportionality and precaution, the ICRC said.

The independent aid agency said it had donated supplies to hospitals in Taiz and Aden, which have received dozens of wounded people in recent days.

It also provided body bags and medical supplies to three hospitals that handled casualties from suicide bombings at mosques in the capital Sanaa last week that killed more than 130 people.