‘Completely Unacceptable’: India Condemns Saudi Airport Attacks That Killed Three
India on Thursday condemned attacks targeting Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, calling the targeting of civilian infrastructure “completely unacceptable”.
The Ministry of External Affairs expressed condolences to the families of those killed, wished the injured a speedy recovery and extended solidarity to Saudi Arabia.
“India condemns the attacks over the past few days targeting Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which have resulted in civilian deaths and injuries,” the ministry said.
“We express solidarity and stand with the people and government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” it added.
THREE DEAD, 36 INJURED
The attacks took place separately on October 6 and 7, according to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).
Two people were killed and 28 injured at Abha airport, while the attack on King Khalid International Airport killed one person and injured eight, GACA said.
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The authority said the injured were taken to hospitals and officials were assessing damage and checking the safety of the facilities.
The Saudi-led coalition said it had destroyed 82 Houthi military targets in Yemen in response to attacks on civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia.
In a statement on Wednesday, coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki said the airport attacks “will not go unpunished”.
The coalition said its operation targeted sites across Saada, Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf and Ma’rib. These included ballistic missile facilities, command and control centres, communications systems, weapons storage sites and locations where Houthi groups had gathered.
It also claimed to have destroyed a ballistic missile launch platform in Sanaa that was being prepared for an imminent attack on Saudi Arabia.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree separately claimed that the group had carried out missile attacks against Saudi and Saudi-backed targets.
Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi condemned the attacks, describing the targeting of civilian airports and the endangerment of travellers and workers as a dangerous escalation.
The US Mission in Saudi Arabia urged American citizens to exercise “heightened vigilance” amid Houthi threats against airports and airspace. It warned of possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruptions.
With inputs from ANI