UN Officials Condemn Houthi Attack On Saudi University

The United Nations Security Council gathered Thursday to discuss the ongoing conflict in Yemen, leading several officials to condemn the recent missile and drone attack by the Houthi movement on Saudi Arabia, which supports their opponents

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th April, 2021) The United Nations Security Council gathered Thursday to discuss the ongoing conflict in Yemen, leading several officials to condemn the recent missile and drone attack by the Houthi movement on Saudi Arabia, which supports their opponents.

Saudi Arabia claims that their air defense system intercepted the attacks, which occurred between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, scattering debris across the Jizan University campus. Although there were no casualties, the falling debris did cause a small fire that was quickly contained.

"Indeed, in the same week that Saudi Arabia publicly reiterated its commitment to a peace deal, the Houthis launched a massive drone and missile attack on civilian targets in Saudi Arabia. With the notable exception of Iran, the international community has welcomed the Saudi announcement and condemned the Houthi military escalations," Barbara Woodward, the UK's representative to the UN, said.

The conflict, which began in 2015, has been described as the world's largest humanitarian disaster. A Saudi-led coalition is supporting one side in the internal conflict, while Houthis represent the other side. While the UN has worked with Houthi and Saudi officials to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict most notably with the 2018 Stockholm Agreement which attempted to forge a ceasefire between the two parties they have yet to find success.

In fact, March was the deadliest month for civilians in 2021, with over 200 being killed or wounded. One quarter of those casualties occurred in or around the city of Marib, where fighting has intensified in recent days. The province of Marib, an oil-rich part of Yemen, is the last government stronghold in the North of the country. UN officials continued to call for a ceasefire not only in Marib, but in the entire country.

Several speakers including Norwegian representative to the UN Mona Juul noted the important role that women must play in the peace process.

"We believe in inclusive political processes where all regions and parties to the conflict are represented. That is important to build a durable peace. This of course includes women's full, equal, and meaningful participation, and taking a gender-sensitive approach to conflict resolution," Juul said in her statement.

Many speakers expressed particular gratitude towards Oman and Saudi Arabia for their willingness to be active participants in the peacemaking process. As negotiations move forward, though, UN officials continue to call for a nationwide ceasefire in order to create a conducive environment for dialogue.