Bangladesh yesterday expressed its deep concern at the recent ballistic missile attacks by the Huthi rebels targeting the residential area of Riyadh of Saudi Arabia, which was successfully intercepted by the Saudi air-defence forces.
Dhaka renounces such unilateral and provocative acts which could escalate tension in the area and impact adversely upon the peace and stability in the region, said a statement issued by the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Bangladesh remains committed to standing by the brotherly people and the Government of Saudi Arabia in their
efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region, added the statement.
In a separate statement, Salman F Rahman, private sector affairs adviser to Bangladesh Awami League chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also condemned the missile attack on civilian people in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.
Salman F Rahman said the attacks by Huthi rebels, who announced that the target was the official residence of King Salman, will not bring peace in the Muslim Ummah. He called for an immediate halt to the unilateral acts of provocation.
Wire services AFP reported Saudi Arabia said it shot down a ballistic missile Tuesday over Riyadh fired from Yemen by Iran-backed Huthi rebels.
US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley described the strike as bearing "all the hallmarks of previous attacks using Iranian-provided weapons" as she announced Washington would be discussing options for Security Council action against Tehran.
The audacious attack aimed at the heart of Saudi power follows the downing of another missile last month near Riyadh airport that triggered the tightening of a Saudi-led blockade on hunger-stricken Yemen. For the past three years, Saudi Arabia has led a military campaign involving air strikes and ground troops against the Huthis, who seized the Yemeni capital from the internationally recognised government in 2014. The kingdom accuses the Shiite rebels of being a proxy for its arch foe Iran, which vehemently denies arming the insurgents.
"The missile was aimed at populated residential areas in the Riyadh area, and -- thank God -- was intercepted and destroyed south of Riyadh without any casualties," the official Saudi Press Agency quoted a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition as saying.
"The possession of Iranian-manufactured ballistic weapons by terrorist organisations, including the Iran-backed Huthi militia, is a threat to regional and international security," Turki al-Maliki added.
More than 8,750 people have been killed since Saudi Arabia and its allies joined the government's fight against the Huthis in 2015, triggering what the UN has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis.