Turkey and Pakistan pledge 'all potential support' to Saudis over Yemen

Turkey and Pakistan have called on ?all Yemeni groups? for a peaceful solution to the country?s crisis, while pledging support for Saudi Arabia?s actions, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on April 3.

Turkey and Pakistan agreed to lend ?all potential support? to Saudi Arabia in order to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yemen, Sharif said, speaking at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu.

The two countries would work together to help resolve the crisis in Yemen, Sharif said, stressing a ?common understanding? between Turkey and Pakistan to ?stand behind Saudi leadership.?

For his part, Davuto?lu underlined that Turkey?s position on Yemen is to support all ?steps taken for the constitutional reconstruction? of the country.

He noted that Pakistan and Turkey draw a common understanding at a time when the region is passing through an ?historical transformation and is facing enormous risks.?

Violence in Yemen has killed an estimated 519 people over the past two weeks, 90 of them children, while tens of thousands of people are fleeing their homes, the U.N.?s humanitarian chief said on April 2, amid the rapid escalation of the conflict in the Arab world?s poorest nation.

Al-Qaeda militants traveling in convoys flying black banners captured a major port city in southern Yemen on April 2, seizing government buildings and freeing inmates from a prison, including a top Saudi-born leader, security officials said, The Associated Press reported.

The fall of Mukalla - the capital of Yemen?s largest province, Hadramawt - highlighted how al-Qaeda is expanding its foothold in Yemen, taking advantage of the turmoil as a Saudi-led coalition backing the country?s beleaguered...