Bin Mubarak asks to deal practically with Houthi militias
Yemen's Foreign Minister Ahmad bin Mubarak Sunday demanded a UN and international approach to deal practically with Houthi militias.
This came during bin Mubarak's meeting with French Ambassador to Yemen Jean-Marie Safa to discuss the political developments and efforts made to expand the truce amid continued obstacles of Houthis، Yemen news agency (SABA) reported.
The procrastination of Houthis to deal with the endeavors of achieving peace in Yemen stresses that they have no desire to achieve peace، and do not pay attention to the sufferings of Yemenis and ending their humanitarian catastrophe، he said.
He indicated that Yemen's Presidential Council and government have provided everything possible to turn from a state of war to a state of peace to meet Yemenis' aspirations and end the war as well as restore security and stability.
He said the Houthis disavowed the gains of peace and seek to destroy benefits made for Yemenis during the past months.
Meanwhile، the French envoy affirmed his country's support to legitimacy in Yemen، its unity، safety and stability.
He also stressed exerting all efforts needed to contribute to solving the crisis and making peace.
Yemen has been mired in a war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa.
Heavy clashes between Houthi rebel troops and Yemen’s pro-government forces have killed at least 8 people، a security official confirmed Friday. The fresh round of violence comes amid heightened tensions following last week’s failure to extend a cease-fire between the warring sides.
The official said exchanges of fire broke out late Thursday night in the contested western area of Yafa، killing four troops from either side and injuring five others. Local witnesses said both Houthi troops and forces under the Southern Transitional Council، which is backed by the United Arab Emirates and is a major pillar of the Saudi coalition fighting in Yemen، deployed machine guns and mortars during the clashes.
Yemen’s conflict began in 2014 when Iranian-backed Houthi forces seized the capital of Sanaa. In response، a Saudi Arabia-led coalition intervened in 2015 to try to restore the internationally recognized government to power.
The failure to extend the nationwide truce last Sunday has threatened to reignite the bloody war after a six-month cessation in frontline fighting. The Houthis blamed the dead-ended negotiations on the U.N.، which has facilitated the cease-fire talks، while the U.S. envoy to Yemen accused the rebel group of derailing the talks through last-minute demands.
As Sunday’s deadline for a renewed agreement passed، both sides reportedly deployed reinforcements to the frontline cities of Marib and Taiz and exchanged gunfire in the western governorate of Al Dhalea. Neither of these reports post-cease-fire could be immediately confirmed by The Associated Press.
Houthi forces and the Southern Transitional Council sides have both blamed each other for sparking Thursday’s violence، officials said. Both the officials and the witnesses spoke with The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to brief the media.
The U.N.-backed truce took effect in April and had originally established the partial opening of the capital’s airport and the Red Sea port of Hodeida، as well as the lifting of the Houthi blockade on the country’s third-largest city، Taiz. However، disagreements over the opening and control of Taiz’s key entry roads meant the city has remained under a Houthi-imposed siege.
The Yemeni war has killed in excess of 150،000 people according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. The fighting has turned Yemen into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises، pushing the Middle East’s poorest nation into near famine.