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Roundup: Afghan gov't divided over support on Saudi Arabia-led airstrikes in Yemen

Xinhua, April 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

The leaders of the Afghan national unity government have been divided on whether to support the Saudi Arabia-led coalition against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Afghanistan has voiced support to Saudi Arabia in security, the Presidential Palace said in a statement released on Wednesday.

The decision to support the Arabic kingdom, according the statement, had been taken after consultations with religious scholars, Jihadi leaders, political figures, security officials and elders.

"Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia share commonalities in religious, cultural and other issues and Afghanistan would make available all its forces for the defense of the holy places on Saudi Arabia land, " the Daily Outlook newspaper quoted the statement as saying on Saturday.

The statement, according to the paper, also noted that " Afghanistan recognized the democratically elected government in Yemen that represented the wishes and aspirations of its people."

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has held a phone conversation with Saudi King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz and exchanged views on matters of mutual interests including the situation in Yemen.

The newspaper, however, reported that Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah has expressed his opposition to the Presidential Palace's decision to support Riyadh in leading a 10-nation coalition armed campaign in Yemen.

Meantime, the Daily Afghanistan reported on Saturday that the statement of the Presidential Palace was protecting the "holy places" in the Saudi land and not backing the Saudi-led military operations in Yemen.

Hajji Mohammad Mohaqiq, second deputy to chief executive Abdullah, has also expressed opposition to the Presidential Palace stance, saying Saudi Arabia has not been invaded, rather the kingdom is invading Yemen.

In an article published in Hasht-e-Subh newspaper, former Afghan presidential advisor on National Security Rangin Dadfar Spanta also slammed Afghanistan's support to Saudi Arabia. Endi