ripr

3 killed, 36 injured in attacks on Saudi Arabia's Abha, Riyadh airports

Saudi aviation authority says attacks caused material damage; Houthis claim targeting both airports

Three people were killed and 36 others were injured in attacks targeting two airports in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom's General Authority of Civil Aviation said Wednesday.

GACA said Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh were targeted in two separate attacks Tuesday and Wednesday, with emergency and relevant authorities responding to both incidents.

The attack on Abha International Airport killed two residents -- one Moroccan and one Algerian -- and injured 28 people, the authority said.

The injured included two Saudi citizens and residents of Bangladeshi and Filipino nationalities, with injuries ranging from minor to serious, GACA added.

At King Khalid International Airport, a Sudanese national was killed and eight people were injured, including five Saudi, two Egyptian and a Pakistani national, the authority said.

All those injured were immediately taken to hospitals for medical treatment, GACA said, adding that the two attacks also caused material damage.

The authority said it continues to coordinate with relevant security agencies to assess the damage and take necessary measures to ensure the safety of passengers and airport employees.

Yemen's Houthis claimed Wednesday that they had carried out attacks targeting both airports.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with drones and carried out another operation against Abha International Airport using ballistic missiles and drones.

The attacks came amid an escalation between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognized government.

Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition supporting the Yemeni government against the Houthis since March 2015.

news_share_description subscription_contact

Comments

Y
Loading...