On Wednesday evening 20 December, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini condemned the launch the previous day of another ballistic missile against the Saudi capital Riyadh, responsibility for which was publicly claimed by the Yemeni Houthi organisation Ansar Allah (see EUROPE 11898).
The missile launch, Mogherini said in a press release, “constitutes an unacceptable violation of international law and a further dangerous escalation of the conflict which reduces the prospects of a negotiated solution to the war in Yemen”. She went on to say that the progressive military escalation of the conflict, “as reflected in the cycle of successive retaliations during recent weeks”, has exacerbated the “already dire” humanitarian situation. “The Yemeni people are paying the highest price in this conflict, as evidenced by the reported killing of 136 civilians through bombings in the past ten days alone, as well as by the increased violence and criminal activity in Sanaa”, she said.
The high representative once again called on all parties “to choose the wiser path of de-escalation and genuinely engage in the efforts of the United Nations to resume a negotiated solution as a matter of urgency”. The EU, she added, will give its support to any serious resumption of peace talks.
The conflict in Yemen, which has lasted more than 1,000 days, has already caused the deaths of over 10,000 people and brought the worst cholera epidemic in history. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)