Bangladesh condemns reported drone attack targeting Mecca, reaffirms support for Saudi Arabia
The government underscored that the safety and security of the holy sites must be fully respected and protected at all times.
Bangladesh has strongly condemned a reported drone attack targeting Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
Dhaka today (16 September) reaffirmed its respect for the sanctity of Mecca and other holy sites in the kingdom, expressing solidarity with Riyadh as well as its people in protecting them.
The government underscored that the safety and security of the holy sites must be fully respected and protected at all times.
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Saudi Arabia's air defence systems intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca yesterday before it could reach the holy city's restricted airspace, said Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen, reports The Guardian.
Speaking early today, Malki said protecting Islam's two holiest sites and the pilgrims visiting them remained a "red line".
He said the coalition would take the necessary deterrent steps against the Houthis.
Mecca is Islam's holiest city and hosts the annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam. Its religious sites draw millions of Muslim pilgrims from around the world each year.
Malki said yesterday's incident was the second occasion on which the Houthis had attempted to target Mecca.
The coalition previously accused the group of launching a ballistic missile towards the city in July 2017.
The Houthis denied the latest allegation. Their spokesperson Hazem al-Assad dismissed the claim today, saying on X that the claims about targeting Mecca were "a worn-out lie that has been used before and no longer fools anyone".
The Houthis control sections of Yemen's Red Sea coastline near the Bab al-Mandab, a strategically important international shipping passage. Their control of the area has implications for Saudi oil shipments that have been rerouted from the Strait of Hormuz.
The group has claimed responsibility for several attacks against Saudi Arabia over the past week.
