Saudi Arabia postpones int’l events amid security concerns linked to Yemen attacks

SANAA, Oct. 18 (YPA) – Amid an apparent reluctance among international officials to visit Saudi Arabia over security concerns related to attacks from Yemen, Riyadh has been forced to postpone several international events it had been scheduled to host.

On Thursday, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) announced the postponement of its summit with the European Union, originally scheduled for October 24 in Riyadh.

The meeting will be held at a later date to be agreed upon by both sides, the council said, citing continued threats from Yemen and the extension of the suspension of operations at King Khalid International Airport.

The postponements come despite Saudi efforts to insist that conditions across the kingdom remain normal. The report argues that Riyadh can no longer ignore the attacks it says it is facing from Yemen.

Observers cited in the report say the postponements were not a matter of Saudi preference but rather a consequence of international officials’ reluctance to visit the kingdom.

Despite the attacks, Saudi authorities had reportedly deactivated the early-warning system on September 29 before restoring it on Monday under pressure from diplomatic missions in the kingdom. The report says the move was intended to create the appearance of normality and reassure residents.

Sanaa forces had previously announced that Saudi airspace was no longer safe, except for areas around the holy sites in Mecca and Medina, as part of an escalation aimed at lifting the blockade and ending the war on Yemen.

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