Turkey condemns Houthi attack on Mecca
Saudi Arabia announced that a Houthi drone was shot down south of Mecca. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "We strongly condemn the drone attack by the Houthis targeting the holy city of Mecca." Condemnation statements regarding the Houthis' attempt to target Mecca came from Yemen, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Poland, and Palestine.
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A spokesperson for the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen announced on Wednesday that Saudi air defense systems destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it could enter Mecca's airspace.
According to a Reuters report, Spokesperson Turki al-Maliki stated that the drone, which was shot down on Tuesday evening, was the second attempt by the Houthis to target Mecca since a ballistic missile attack in July 2017.
Houthi officials denied the accusations that they targeted Mecca. Mohammed al-Farah, a member of the Houthi political bureau, described the claims as "completely false."
Condemnation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
In a statement issued by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the attack was condemned with the following expressions:
"We strongly condemn the drone attack by the Houthis targeting the holy city of Mecca. We reaffirm our support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security of Saudi Arabia, and we once again emphasize our solidarity with Saudi Arabia. We reiterate our call for an immediate end to these attacks, which also threaten regional stability and security, and for refraining from any actions intended to further escalate tensions."
Communications Director Fahrettin Altun also made the following statement:
"I condemn in the strongest terms the despicable drone attack attempt targeting the sanctity and security of Mecca. Any attempt to attack the Haramayn al-Sharifayn, the sacred value of the Islamic world, wounds the common conscience of us all. Protecting the peace and security of Mecca is a matter of great sensitivity for the entire Islamic world. As our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, always states, the Islamic world does not need new conflicts, but rather common sense, dialogue, and lasting peace. I express that we stand with our brotherly Saudi Arabia and convey my best wishes for a speedy recovery."
Meanwhile, condemnation statements regarding the Houthis' attempt to target Mecca came from Yemen, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Poland, and Palestine.