RIYADH — Yemeni
rebels have seized an Emirati-flagged vessel in the
Red Sea, the insurgents and
a Saudi-led coalition said Monday, giving contrasting explanations for the
latest escalation in a seven-year war.
اضافة اعلان
The coalition, fighting in support of
Yemen's internationally-recognized government, said the vessel was carrying
medical supplies but the rebels said they seized "a military cargo ship
with military equipment".
The coalition has been fighting for nearly seven
years in support of Yemen's government against the Iran-backed Huthis, and
fighting has intensified over the past few weeks.
"The boat named Rawabi, bearing the
flag of the United Arab Emirates, was pirated and kidnapped at 23:57 (2057 GMT)
Sunday while off Hodeida province," coalition spokesman
Turki Al-Malki said.
In a statement cited by the official Saudi
Press Agency, he said the vessel was travelling from Yemen's Socotra island,
off the country's south coast.
It was returning to the Saudi city of
Jazan carrying medical supplies after finishing a mission to set up a field hospital
on the island, Malki said.
The Huthis confirmed they had seized an
Emirati-flagged vessel in the Red Sea but their military spokesman Yahya Saree
said it had "entered Yemeni waters without authorization" and was
carrying out "hostile acts".
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