World leaders have condemned an attack Yemeni fighters launched suspected drone strikes on that caused explosions and a deadly fire in the industrial heart of Abu Dhabi.
One of the biggest attacks to date on UAE soil ignited a fire at Abu Dhabi’s main international airport on Monday and set fuel tanker trucks ablaze in a nearby industrial area. It took place days after Yemen’s Houthi fighters warned Abu Dhabi against intensifying its air campaign against them.
Dr Anwar Gargash, Special Adviser to the UAE President, said the Houthis were behind the attack but were “too weak to impact the security and stability” of the country.
A preliminary investigation suggests drones fell in both incidents and may have triggered the blasts, the UAE’s state-run WAM news agency said on Monday. Three people – two Indians and one Pakistani – were killed and six others injured in the fuel-tank fire close to the storage facilities of state-run oil group Adnoc, Abu Dhabi police said.
Adnoc said the attack took place at 10 am and that the casualties were all employees.
In the statement the company said: “At approximately 10:00 AM this morning, an incident occurred at our Mussafah Fuel Depot in Abu Dhabi which resulted in the outbreak of a fire. ADNOC is deeply saddened to confirm that three colleagues have died.
“A further six colleagues were injured and received immediate specialist medical care. Professional support teams are supporting the families of all those who have been impacted.
“We are working closely with the relevant authorities to determine the exact cause and a detailed investigation has commenced.
“Following the recent incident at Mussafah fuel depot, ADNOC has activated the necessary business continuity plans to ensure the reliable, uninterrupted supply of products to its local and international customers, while insuring the safety of its employees.”
Leaders from around the world have joined in support of the UAE condemning the attack.
Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Saudi Arabia condemned the terrorist Houthi attacks on civil facilities, and UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Liz Truss denounced them, taking to twitter, saying “I condemn in the strongest terms the Houthi-claimed terrorist attacks on the United Arab Emirates.”
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, received a phone call from His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, during which he condemned the terrorist Houthi militia attack.
The United States also strongly condemned the attack. In a statement, the US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said: “Our commitment to the security of the UAE is unwavering and we stand beside our Emirati partners against all threats to their territory.”
Yemen’s Foreign Minister also joined leaders from Greece, France, Bahrain and Morocco in their denouncement of the fatal attack.
Brent crude rose as much as 0.4 percent to $86.84 a barrel, the highest since October 2014, following news of the incident.
*With Bloomberg
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