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Yemen’s Houthis accuse Saudi-led coalition of seizing fuel vessel

Yemen hijacked a United Arab Emirates-flagged cargo vessel [Twitter]

Cargo vessel [Twitter]

Yemen’s Houthi today accused the Saudi-led coalition of seizing a fuel ship, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV said the Saudi-led coalition seized the Splendour Sapphire fuel ship despite having a UN license.

The broadcaster said the vessel was carrying over 24,000 tons of mazut, a heavy, low quality fuel oil, and was taken by the coalition to a Saudi port in the south-western Jazan province.

There was no comment from Saudi authorities or the coalition on the rebels’ accusation.

Earlier today, Houthi spokesman, Yahya Saree, said his group shot down an Emirati spy drone in the Shabwah province in south-eastern Yemen.

Saudi Al-Arabiya TV confirmed that coalition warplanes had carried out airstrikes on Houthi positions in the provinces of Marib and Al-Bayda.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iran-aligned Houthis captured much of the country, including the capital, Sana’a.

A Saudi-led coalition aimed at reinstating the Yemeni government has worsened the situation, causing one of the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crises, with nearly 80 per cent, or about 30 million, people needing humanitarian assistance and protection and more than 13 million in danger of starvation, according to UN estimates.

READ: In violation of Riyadh agreement, UAE sends military equipment to Socotra

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