Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit condemned the hijacking of an oil tanker carrying eight Egyptian sailors along with crew members of other nationalities off the Yemeni coast.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Aboul Gheit said the vessel was seized while sailing in Yemeni regional waters near Shabwa governorate before being forced toward Somali territorial waters, describing the incident as a violation of international law and maritime security regulations.
He called for the immediate and unconditional release of all sailors and stressed the need to guarantee their safety through cooperation among all concerned parties.
Aboul Gheit also expressed full solidarity with Egypt and the abducted sailors, praising Egyptian diplomatic efforts aimed at securing their release.
He added that security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden is an essential part of Arab national security and that threats to maritime navigation affect the interests of all Arab states.
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