MANAMA: The Kingdom of Bahrain expressed strong condemnation and denunciation of the hijacking of an oil tanker in Yemeni territorial waters carrying eight Egyptian sailors on board, and forcing it into Somali territorial waters near the Puntland region, calling the act a flagrant violation of the rules of international law, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and relevant UN Security Council resolutions concerning maritime security and combating piracy.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed the Kingdom of Bahrain’s full solidarity with the Arab Republic of Egypt, its leadership, government, and people, and its support for all legitimate measures undertaken to ensure the safety of the Egyptian sailors and secure their immediate release.

The Ministry also called on the international community and the relevant authorities to take urgent and coordinated action to end this criminal act, secure the immediate and safe return of the sailors to their families, and bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with international law, in a manner that reinforces maritime security and safety, protects civilians, and supports regional and international peace and stability.