Khalifa Al Marar heads UAE delegation to Arab League Council's extraordinary meeting

Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State, headed the UAE delegation taking part in the extraordinary session of the Arab League Council, which took place today at the Permanent Representatives level.

The session was dedicated to discussing recent heinous attacks by the Houthi terrorist militias against the UAE.

Al Marar denounced the drone attacks which targeted civilian facilities in Abu Dhabi, including the ICAD 3 in Mussafah and the construction site of the new Abu Dhabi International Airport.

He expressed thanks to the Arab countries for expressing solidarity with the UAE and condemning the cowardly attacks, and renewed UAE's condemnation of targeting civil facilities and civilians, in a stark violation of the international and humanitarian laws.

Al Marar noted that such unlawful escalation is yet another step in the Houthi militia's plots to spread chaos and terrorism in the region and undermine regional security and stability.

"Such terrorist acts cannot go without a comprehensive response. International law grants the UAE the right to repel aggression. We have the legal and moral right to defend our land, sovereignty, and assets," he added.

Al Marar said the Houthi terrorist militias continue their crimes in the region and threaten regional security and peace by refusing to abide by the Stockholm Agreement, turning the port of Hodeidah into a port of maritime piracy and using it to finance its senseless war and to smuggle weapons of destruction. He underlined the recent hijacking of the UAE-flagged 'Rwabee' ship as an evidence of Houthi's unjustified actions.

"This poses a risk to the international maritime and the energy supply routes and adds challenges on the countries of the world during these difficult times."

He referred to the position of the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, calling for a political solution to the Yemeni crisis and Saudi Arabia's peace initiative for ceasefire and political solution.

"Despite all that, the Houthi militia continues adamantly insists on continuing their military operations and terrorist crimes."

Al Marar called on the international community to condemn such acts targeting civilians and civil facilities, to rally efforts in facing such terrorist acts and take immediate and decisive action to deter the Houthi militias and to prevent them from spreading chaos in Yemen and the entire region.

He also reiterated the UAE's commitment to supporting international efforts to cease fire and reach a political solution to the crisis in Yemen, saying the country will do what it takes to prevent terrorism threats to its territories and deter the perpetrators.

During the meeting, a unanimous decision was taken to classify the Houthi militias as a terrorist organisation after their heinous attack on civil facilities and civilians on 17th January, which led to an explosion in three petroleum tankers and the death of three injury of six innocent civilians.