Saudi Arabia ditches allies, holds direct peace talks with Yemen: Report

Saudi officials have reportedly held direct talks with a delegation from Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement over a permanent ceasefire to end the war, leaving its allied parties in the cold.

Citing informed sources, the Lebanese al-Akhbar daily reported on Monday that the Omani-mediated negotiations have been taking place between Saudi Arabia and the Sana’a government in Riyadh.

It said the Saudi-appointed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) in Yemen and the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) “appear to have no role in the negotiations,” predicting that the pair’s role “will not go beyond signing and attending the [upcoming] ceremony.”

Saudi Arabia, the report added, is ignoring the STC’s secessionist aspirations and has rejected its demands to be included in the Riyadh talks.

The discussions are almost at a “final” stage with “great progress,” particularly in relation to humanitarian issues, it noted.