Somalia has expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia after an attack targeted a power distribution station in Medina, a facility that supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, one of Islam’s holiest sites.
The Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation condemned the incident, saying the targeting of civilian infrastructure serving a major Islamic holy site amounted to a violation of the sanctity of religious sites, international law and Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty.
The ministry also backed Riyadh’s efforts to safeguard its territory and protect people visiting, living in and travelling through the kingdom, amid a fresh escalation involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi movement.
The attack occurred on September 29 at the Taibah electricity distribution station in Medina, according to Saudi authorities. The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said the strike disabled one transformer at the facility, although the wider electricity network remained operational.
Saudi authorities subsequently attributed the attack to the Houthis, saying an investigation and examination of drone wreckage had established the group’s involvement in planning and carrying it out.
The Houthis, however, denied responsibility for the incident and rejected the Saudi-led coalition’s account.
In its statement, Somalia said the location and nature of the facility made the incident particularly concerning because it provides electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, also known as Al-Masjid an-Nabawi.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Federal Republic of Somalia condemns the attack on a power distribution station that supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque in the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the ministry said in its statement.
Somalia said it regarded the targeting of the civilian facility as an affront to the sanctity of Islamic holy sites, while also describing it as a breach of international law and the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia.
The government in Mogadishu further reaffirmed its support for Riyadh as the kingdom deals with the latest security threats, including attacks attributed by Saudi authorities to the Houthis.
“The ministry views the targeting of a civilian infrastructure that serves one of the holiest sites in Islam as a violation of the sanctity of the holy sites, and as a clear breach of international law and the sovereignty of the Kingdom,” the statement added.
The Somali government also called for those responsible for the incident to be held accountable, placing its condemnation within a broader appeal for regional stability.
“The Federal Republic of Somalia expresses its full solidarity with the government and people of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and supports the Kingdom’s efforts to preserve its sovereignty and security, and to protect its citizens, residents, and visitors to the holy sites,” Somalia said.
As a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Somalia said it rejected actions that threaten security and stability in the region, while expressing support for measures taken by Saudi Arabia to protect its territory and Islamic holy sites.
“Somalia rejects all actions that threaten regional stability and calls for accountability of those responsible for them,” the Somali Foreign Ministry said, reiterating its position after the Medina attack.