NEW DELHI: India joined in solidarity with Saudi Arabia on Sunday, as it condemned a major attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, in which at least 12 people were killed and more than 300 injured.
The victims of Saturday’s attack in Riyadh included four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, as well as nationals of the US, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Sudan, according to the Kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs described the Houthi attack on Riyadh airport as “dastardly” and said attacks on civilians “are completely unacceptable” and must immediately stop.
“We strongly condemn the repeated attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport over the past few days, including the dastardly attack on October 10, which have led to loss of lives, injuries and damage to property,” the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi said.
“The repeated attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are completely unacceptable and must cease immediately. We stand in solidarity with the people and the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in defence of their sovereignty.”
Talmiz Ahmad, India’s former ambassador to the Kingdom, told Arab News that the attacks “should be condemned in the strongest possible language” and that they must not be tolerated by any country.
“They are directed at civilian targets. They are totally unacceptable. They’ve already caused a lot of carnage among ordinary people in Riyadh,” he said.
“India has taken the correct position: No country will tolerate military attacks upon civilian airports anywhere in the world.”