Afət Ziyadqızı
According to the latest reports from Saudi media outlets, including Al Arabiya television, Bangladeshi Islamic scholar Nasrullah Al-Badr was killed in a missile or drone strike by Yemen’s Houthis on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that CCTV footage showed Al-Badr, who was travelling to perform Umrah, inside the passenger terminal before a powerful blast occurred, engulfing the area in flames and thick smoke.
According to the latest official statements from the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation and diplomatic sources, the attack initially killed 12 people — four Saudi citizens and eight foreign nationals — and injured 309. The death toll has since risen to 13 after the Indian Embassy in Riyadh confirmed that one of its citizens receiving hospital treatment had died.
Major General Turki al-Maliki, official spokesman for the Arab Coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized legitimate government, described the targeting of civilian aviation infrastructure and civilians as a full-scale war crime. He said the Joint Forces Command would take decisive action in response to the terrorist attack in accordance with international humanitarian law.
Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have risen sharply since July amid an escalating military and political crisis in the Middle East. During this period, airports used by civilians and key energy facilities have been targeted in repeated attacks.
Saudi Arabia has led an international coalition against the Houthi group since March 2015, seeking to restore Yemen’s legitimate government. The Houthis have held parts of the country, including the capital, Sanaa, under their control since September 2014.
