Yemen government sends letter of complaint to UN regarding Houthis' attack on Aden Airport

In the letter sent by Yemen's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Abdullah al-Saadi, to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UNSC's current president, Aglaia Balta, the Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN, attention was drawn to the details of the attack and the danger it posed to regional and international civil aviation security.

In the letter, it was stated that the Houthis targeted Aden International Airport at dawn on Wednesday, October 7, with two ballistic missiles and explosive-laden unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

It was stated in the letter that the attack was carried out when a civilian plane was approaching landing and there were other planes, passengers and employees at the airport, and that the incident directly endangered the lives of those at the airport and seriously threatened the security of air transportation.

The letter stated that targeting a civilian airport is a dangerous escalation and a clear violation of international humanitarian law and international rules and standards regarding the protection of civil aviation, and that the attack is a continuation of the Houthis' actions targeting civilian facilities.

In the letter, it was stated that the attack on Aden Airport went beyond being a potential threat to international airlines and reached the level of a direct attack on a civilian facility, and it was stated that the Houthis' threats to air and sea transportation and regional security risks are interconnected.

In the government's letter, it was requested to take the necessary measures to prevent the transfer of weapons, military equipment, parts, technology and military expertise to the Houthis within the scope of the implementation of the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, especially resolution 2216 of 2015.

The letter warned that continuing support for the Houthis' military capacity weakens efforts to protect international sea and air transportation and increases the risk of incidents that may have severe humanitarian and material consequences.

Call for international cooperation

In the letter of the Yemeni government, a call was made to increase international cooperation to protect airports, civil facilities and air transportation routes in the country and the region.

In the letter, it was stated that the government was ready to work with the UN, the Security Council, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the Panel of Experts on Yemen, and that existing information and evidence could be shared to assess risks and prevent the repetition of similar attacks.

In the letter, it was emphasized that the root causes of these threats should be addressed in order to combat them, and it was stated that the main elements of the problem are that an armed group maintains control over a part of Yemen's territory and that this group has a military capacity that can be used against civilians, civilian facilities and international transportation.

In the letter, it was stated that re-establishing state institutions in the country, disarming the Houthis and supporting the government to re-establish sovereignty over the entire country, its airspace, coasts and ports are fundamental requirements for Yemen's security and stability, the security of neighboring countries and the protection of international transportation.

In the statement made by the Aden Police Department on October 7, it was stated that the Houthis targeted Aden International Airport with 2 missiles.