Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman; Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, deputy premier and minister of interior; and Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, second deputy premier and minister of defense, sent separate cables of condolences to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the deadly terrorist attack at Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul. They said in their cables: "We learned with grief about the terrorist attack that took place at Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul which resulted in deaths and injuries. As we strongly condemn these criminal acts, we, on behalf of the government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, condole Your Excellency, the families of the victims and the brotherly Turkish people, praying to Allah Almighty to bestow His mercy upon the victims and give speedy recovery to the injured people." An official source at the Foreign Affairs Ministry said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemns and denounces the terrorist attacks in Istanbul. The source confirmed the Kingdom's solidarity with Turkey. [caption id="attachment_39781" align="alignright" width="300"] Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif[/caption]Other Gulf countries also offered their condolences to Turkey and condemned the attack. According to WAM, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, expressed the condolences of the UAE to the Turkish government and the families of the victims, wishing the injured a speedy recovery. [caption id="attachment_46723" align="alignleft" width="300"] Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman[/caption]Sheikh Abdullah also condemned the heinous terrorist act which contradicts all religions, human values and principles. He also asserted the solidarity of the UAE's leadership, government and people, with Turkey, in its fight against extremism and terrorism, and reiterated support for efforts to establish security and peace. Sheikh Abdullah went on to stress the need for a concerted international effort to confront violence and terrorism in all its forms and sources. Denouncing the cowardly attack, Qatari and Bahraini foreign ministries said that such attacks run counter to all moral values and human principles as well as the teachings of revealed religions.
