Kenya condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, pledges solidarity

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 16- Kenya has condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes targeting civilian facilities and critical infrastructure, reaffirming its solidarity with the Kingdom amid escalating regional hostilities.

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi conveyed Kenya’s position during a telephone conversation with Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Waleed Elkhereiji, on Friday.

“The Prime Cabinet Secretary condemned the terrorist Houthi militia’s attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including strikes targeting civilian objects and vital facilities,” the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs said in a statement.

Mudavadi expressed Kenya’s solidarity with the Saudi government and people, conveyed condolences to the families of those killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

He also reiterated Kenya’s commitment to international peace and security, opposition to terrorism and violent extremism, and the protection of civilians and critical infrastructure.

The condemnation comes amid renewed Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and facilities belonging to state-owned oil giant Saudi Aramco.

An attack on Riyadh’s airport over the weekend killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300, according to Saudi authorities.

Subsequent reporting put the death toll at 14 as the attacks continued.

Reuters reported on October 15 that the attacks had exposed vulnerabilities in Saudi Arabia’s defences against missile and drone strikes, raising concerns about the security of critical infrastructure and the Kingdom’s position as an investment destination.

The Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, are an armed movement that controls much of northwestern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.

The group seized Sanaa in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention the following year in support of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

The conflict has involved years of cross-border attacks, including missile and drone strikes on Saudi territory.

A United Nations-brokered truce in 2022 brought a period of relative calm, but fighting has since intensified, with renewed hostilities spreading to Saudi targets and raising fears of a wider regional escalation.

​Bruhan Makong is a Senior News Reporter for Capital FM in Nairobi, covering diplomacy, foreign policy, national security, climate, and human rights across East Africa and the wider region.