Barran Press
The internationally recognized Yemeni government has accused the Houthi rebels of holding four planes hostage at Sana'a International Airport, preventing their return to Jeddah to transport Hajj pilgrims back to Sana'a.
Minister of Awqaf (Endowments) Mohammed Shabiba, in a statement on Twitter on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, urged all Hajj agencies to keep their pilgrims in their accommodations in Mecca until the planes are released. He stressed that no agency should transport pilgrims to the airport.
"The pilgrims should stay in their accommodations until the return of the planes kidnapped by the Houthi terrorist militia," Shabiba said, adding that the Presidential Leadership Council, its deputies, and the Prime Minister are closely monitoring the situation with Saudi authorities.
The Houthi group, designated as a terrorist organization by several countries, has been holding an Airbus belonging to Yemenia Airways since October 2023. The airline had demanded the Houthis unfreeze its accounts in Sana'a banks, totaling $80 million.
Last Thursday, Yemenia Airways renewed its call for the release of another Airbus A330 held at Sana'a airport. In a statement, the company also demanded the release of its funds to pay for engine maintenance for the same plane, which has been grounded for months.
Yemenia Airways, in its statement, reiterated its rejection of any Houthi interference in its financial and administrative affairs, emphasizing its independence as per its establishment protocol. The company stated that the detained plane, "Aden," has a capacity of 277 passengers and has been grounded in Sana'a since last October.
The company accused the Houthis of preventing it from withdrawing funds from its accounts to carry out necessary maintenance. It also expressed its protest against the international silence regarding this act, which violates global aviation norms and laws.
In recent days, the Houthis in Sana'a have escalated their attacks on the airline, accusing it of "subservience to foreign powers" following a decision to restrict ticket sales to points of sale outside their controlled areas. This came after the Houthis seized airline funds.
On June 5, the Ministry of Transport in the internationally recognized Yemeni government directed Yemenia Airways to transfer its previous and future revenue to its bank accounts in Aden, the temporary capital, or to its accounts abroad.
The ministry, in a statement published on its official website, attributed the move to "shielding the company from the control of the Houthi terrorist group, enabling it to operate, develop, and modernize its fleet, especially after the seizure of its accounts in Sana'a banks, exceeding $100 million."