Yemeni defense minister urges Saudis to seize opportunity to end war

Major General Mohammad al-Atifi made the remarks as he addressed a ceremony in the Yemeni capital city of Sana’a in commemoration of the late Ansarullah chief Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi.

“We urge the Saudi-led military coalition to take up the opportunity offered by Abdul-Malik al-Houthi and iron out a peace deal”, as Oman, a mediator in ceasefire talks, seeks direct talks between representatives from the Sana’a-based government and Saudi Arabia, Atifi said.

He lauded patience, steadfastness, and sacrifices of the Yemeni people and army saying that they will not be “in vain.”

 “We are in possession of effective and efficient tools and mechanisms. Our steely determination has also enabled us to be completely independent in decision-making,” the Yemeni defense minister added.

On Friday, Ansarullah leader Houthi warned the kingdom that while they will give Oman an opportunity to work out a peace deal it does not mean that they will wait for an “indefinite” amount of time.

“Yemen is still in a state of a military aggression and there is no truce agreement in effect. Tensions have, however, eased due to praiseworthy efforts being made by Omani mediators, … we appreciate their efforts and strive to give them the opportunity to succeed in their endeavors,” Houthi said, adding “we give time to negotiations and dialogues, this does not mean that we will continue indefinitely.”

Last month, Yemen’s information minister said the United States is chiefly liable for the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in the Arab country as it torpedoes any international initiative aimed at establishment of nationwide peace and stability.

Dhaifullah al-Shami wrote in a tweet that Washington plays the leading role in the suffering of Yemenis, as it has slapped several rounds of sanctions against the nation and blockaded all entry ports controlled by Ansarullah.

“The US cannot be trusted to advance a durable and inclusive peace agreement in Yemen that would alleviate the suffering of Yemenis, because it is responsible for creating the worst humanitarian crisis in the world through support for the Saudi siege and devastating attacks against the oppressed nation,” Shami said.

Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with its Arab allies and with arms and logistics support from the US and other Western states, launched a devastating war on Yemen in March 2015.

The objective was to crush the popular Ansarullah resistance movement, which has been running state affairs in the absence of a functional government in Yemen, and reinstall the Riyadh-friendly regime of Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi.

The Saudi-led coalition has failed to achieve any of its objectives, leaving hundreds of thousands of Yemenis dead and spawning the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.