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Morocco remains silent as Arab states side with Saudi Arabia after the attacks on its oil facilities

Once again, Morocco has not shown support for Saudi Arabia, which said Tuesday that its oil facilities were attacked by explosive-laden drones launched by a Yemeni-armed movement.

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On Tuesday, May 14, explosive-laden drones were launched by Houthi forces in Yemen targeted oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. The attacks were condemned by the majority of the Arab League member states.

Tunisia was the first country to show support for Saudi Arabia. In a communiqué issued by the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the North African country expressed solidarity with Riyadh, endorsing «all the measures taken to maintain its security, territorial integrity and facilities». In its statement, the Tunisian ministry described the attacks as an «act of destruction».

For the record, the Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed announced in December 2018, after a trip to Riyadh, that Saudi Arabia will invest in the country and will grant it financial aid, amounting to $830 million. On March 29, the two countries signed two agreements during the visit of King Salman’s to Tunis.

Morocco and Saudi Arabia

Mauritania was the second North African country to denounce the attacks in Saudi Arabia. In a statement issued by the Mauritanian Foreign Ministry and relayed by AMI, Nouakchott said that it «strongly condemns» the two «terrorist attacks that targeted the security and stability of two sister countries, the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia».

Mauritania made mention of the alleged sabotage attacks on four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

By the same token, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, quoted by the country’s press agency APS, that it is «concerned about the disturbing attacks that took place in the Arabian Peninsula», referring to the armed drones that had struck two oil pumping stations in the kingdom.

Other countries in the League of Arab States have also denounced the operation led by Houthi forces on Tuesday, May 14, including Jordan.

However, Morocco has not reacted to the attacks yet. Last year, Rabat did the same thing, when it preferred to observe silence at the heart of the Saudi Arabia-Canada dispute. Morocco remained silent at a time when many Arab countries, in North Africa and the Middle East, decided to side with Riyadh.

King Mohammed VI condemns the attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities

"Following the despicable attacks against vital Saudi energy facilities, I express my firmest condemnation of this appalling acts which seek to undermine the security and stability of your country", King Mohammed VI said Thursday in a message to King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Reiterating his condemnation of these terrorist acts, the King reaffirmed the Kingdom of Morocco's full solidarity and unwavering support for Saudi Arabia to counter all threats and attacks targeting this country.

Article modified on : 16/05/2019 23h47

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