United Nations-January 19 (Online): The United Arab Emirates (UAE) demanded on Tuesday an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to address the deadly drone attack on its capital by Yemen’s Huthi rebels.
Earlier in the day, the Saudi-led military coalition of which the UAE is a member received harsh criticism from the UN secretary-general for launching deadly counterstrikes against the Huthis.
“The United Arab Emirates calls on the Security Council to speak with one voice and join in firmly and unequivocally condemning these terrorist attacks,” said the UAE s ambassador to the UN, Lana Nusseibeh, in a letter to the Security Council s president.
“This illegal and alarming escalation is a further step in the Huthis efforts to spread terrorism and chaos in our region,” Lana Nusseibeh added.
The Huthis used drones to drop explosives on Abu Dhabi, the UAE s capital city, killing three people and injuring six.
The Saudi-led military coalition launched aerial counterattacks in the night between Monday and Tuesday, killing at least 14 and injuring about a dozen more.
“The Secretary-General expresses his concern and deplores the recent Saudi-led Coalition s airstrikes in Sanaa that resulted in numerous civilian casualties,” said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, at a press conference Tuesday.
“He reminds all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians, adhering to the principles of proportionality, distinction and precaution.”
The spokesman added that Guterres “again calls upon all parties to exercise maximum restraint and prevent further escalation and intensification of the conflict.”
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