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2nd LD Writethru: UN Security Council slams Houthi forces' attack on UAE ship

Xinhua, October 5, 2016 Adjust font size:

The United Nations' (UN) Security Council on Tuesday "strongly condemned" an attack by Houthi forces on a United Arab Emirates (UAE) vessel operating near Bab al-Mandeb on Oct. 1, and called for such attacks to "cease immediately."

"The members of the Security Council take threats to shipping around Bab al-Mandeb, a strategically important shipping passage, extremely seriously," the 15-nation UN body said in a press statement issued here late Tuesday.

The Council called for such attacks to cease immediately and urged necessary steps to be taken to de-escalate the situation.

The vessel, an Australian-built high-speed logistics catamaran under lease to the UAE military, was attacked by Houthi fighters near the Bab al-Mandab strait off Yemen's southern coast on Saturday, reports said.

The Saudi-led coalition rescued civilian passengers and no crew members were hurt.

"The members of the Security Council reiterated their support to the special envoy to pursue his efforts to find a political solution to the conflict in Yemen," the statement said, referring to Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, the UN envoy for Yemen who has been working to restore peace in the Arab country.

The Security Council urged all parties to recommit to and fully respect the terms and conditions of the cessation of hostilities entered into force on April 10, which includes a complete halt to ground and air military activities, the statement said.

"The Council called on all sides to resume working through the De-Escalation and Coordination Committee to facilitate the strengthening of the Cessation of Hostilities," said the statement.

Following nearly 16 months of conflict in Yemen, the cessation of hostilities was declared on April 10. But serious violations have occurred in Yemen's Marib, al Jawf, Taiz and in the border areas with Saudi Arabia. Endi