A Sudanese and an Egyptian among 12 dead at Riyadh airport
Nigeria and Egypt have condemned the Houthi strike on Saudi Arabia's main airport. The Egyptian victim was a 28-year-old flight attendant.
Abuja — A Sudanese national and an Egyptian flight attendant were among 12 civilians killed when a Houthi strike hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, according to a list of the dead by nationality from Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority, reported by Premium Times.
More than 300 people were injured. Five of them are Egyptian, Daily News Egypt reports.
The Egyptian victims
Egypt's foreign ministry named the woman who died as Azza Ramzy Mohamed Hassan, 28, a flight attendant with the Saudi airline flynas. She died of injuries sustained in the missile attack.
The foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, acting on President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's instructions, told the embassy and consulate in Riyadh to contact her family and speed up the return of her body. Egypt's ambassador and consul have visited the five injured Egyptians in hospital.
No details have been published about the Sudanese victim.
Who else died
The Saudi authority's list comprises four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, and one person each from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt. India's embassy said on Sunday that an Indian man had also died of his injuries.
Nigeria's statement
Nigeria's foreign ministry, in a statement from Abuja on Sunday, called the attack a dangerous escalation that violated Saudi Arabia's sovereignty and set back efforts towards peace in the Middle East.
It offered condolences to the families of the dead, expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia, praised the emergency response, and urged all sides to respect international law, show restraint and avoid endangering civilians or civilian infrastructure.
A second strike
Ansar Allah, the Yemeni movement known as the Houthis, claimed responsibility and warned airlines and passengers against using Saudi airports and airspace. On Sunday another projectile struck the airport and started a fire in a passenger hall, injuring more people, Saudi authorities said.
The Saudi-led coalition has promised to respond. Premium Times, citing the BBC, says Saturday's strike was the deadliest single attack on a Gulf Arab state since the war involving Israel, the United States and Iran began in February.
This report is based on reporting by Premium Times and Daily News Egypt.
