Al-Houthi: France is complicit in the war on Yemen, led by Saudi Arabia

A senior member in the Supreme political council official has lambasted France over its collaboration with Saudi Arabia in the devastating war on Yemen as French President Emmanuel Macron has visited Persian Gulf Arab countries and signed lucrative weapons deals there.

Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, made the criticism in a post on his Twitter account early on Saturday, a day after 18 people were killed and several others injured in Saudi-led coalition’s airstrikes on a residential area in Taiz Province, southwestern Yemen.

He made the remarks as Macron, on Friday, started an official two-day tour of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

“We condemn the move by the French president, who – through his trip to Saudi Arabia – caused the killing of civilians and children in Maqbana district of Taiz province,” al-Houthi said. “We remind him that his requests to European countries to continue selling arms to the aggressor Saudi coalition, in which he also participates, amount to war crimes in Yemen.”

The UAE has signed an agreement to purchase 80 Rafale aircraft produced by the French company Dassault Aviation.

France indicated that the value of the Rafale fighter jet and helicopter deal with the UAE is approximately 17 billion Euros.