KRG condemns alleged Houthi drone attack on Mecca
Shafaq News- Erbil
The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Department of Foreign Relations (DFR) on Wednesday condemned drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and the “attempt to target Mecca,” warning that such attacks threaten the Kingdom’s security and the safety of civilians and pilgrims.
“Saudi Arabia’s security, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity are essential to regional security and stability,” the DFR said in a statement, adding that “any attack on its territory or action that endangers civilians is unacceptable and condemned.”
The department said that targeting Mecca, which holds profound religious and spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide, would represent “an extremely dangerous development” threatening the sanctity of Islamic holy sites and the safety of pilgrims.
The DFR expressed “full solidarity with Saudi Arabia in protecting its security and sovereignty and ensuring the safety of its citizens, residents and visitors,” while backing efforts aimed at strengthening security, peace and stability across the region.
It stressed that disputes “should not serve as a pretext for targeting civilians, civilian infrastructure or religious sites,” adding that respect for state sovereignty, the sanctity of holy places and the protection of civilians must remain inviolable principles.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Joint Forces Command of the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen said Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces had intercepted and destroyed a drone before it entered restricted airspace over Mecca.
The coalition described the incident as a second attempt to target the city, citing a ballistic missile launch on July 27, 2017, as the first.
The Houthis (Ansarallah) denied that any threat from Yemen was directed at Mecca or Islamic holy sites, accusing Saudi Arabia of spreading “false reports” aimed at damaging the group’s image and influencing Muslim public opinion.
