http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-04/05/c_134126522.htm
Russia denies allegation of weapon supply to Yemen
English.news.cn 2015-04-05 21:07:35
MOSCOW, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry on Sunday
denied allegations that Russia used passenger planes arranged for
evacuating its citizens to supply weapons to conflict-torn Yemen.
"Media reports about claims made by Yemeni Foreign Minister Riyadh
Yassin that Russian planes conducting evacuation of our citizens
allegedly delivered weapons to Houthi rebels have drawn our
attention," Alexander Lukashevich, a spokesman for the ministry, was
quoted as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency.
He said such claims, if truly made, are "absurd, irresponsible and provocative."
"Russia is evacuating its own citizens and citizens of many other
countries, including those in the anti-Houthi coalition. Unlike many
others, we do not interfere in the internal conflict in Yemen," he
added.
On Saturday, Yassin was quoted by several news outlets as saying that
Russian planes conducting evacuation from Yemen had delivered weaponry
to Houthis and that former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh had
fled the country aboard a Russian aircraft.
The security situation in Yemen has sharply deteriorated since early
March when conflicts erupted in several provinces in the country's
southern regions.
A coalition led by Saudi Arabia started late last month air strikes on
Houthi targets in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa and other cities, saying
the multinational action is to protect President Abd-Rabbu Mansour
Hadi's legitimacy and force the Houthis to retreat from cities they
have seized since September 2014.
According to the United Nations, more than 500 people have been killed
over the past two weeks.
Received on Sun Apr 05 2015 - 10:49:41 EDT