Yemeni Vice President: Recent Houthi Escalation Threatens Peace Chances
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Yemen’s Vice President Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar accused Monday Houthi militias of undermining the chances for peace in the country following their recent military escalation.
During a meeting with US ambassador to Yemen Christopher Henzel, the VP said the latest Houthi military escalation undermines all peace efforts and is an attempt by the militia to terminate all previous deals reached with the legitimate government, mainly the Stockholm agreement.
He said the recent Houthi escalation with the growing international isolation of Iran demonstrates that the rebel militia is beholden to Tehran.
Ahmar also warned that the militia's diehard insurgency is a target against key waterways, oil facilities and US and European companies and Yemen's neighboring countries.
Yemeni sources said that the Ahmar-Henzel meeting tackled the recent developments in Yemen in light of the latest escalation of the Iran-backed militia.
For his part, the US diplomat condoled Ahmar over the fall of scores of casualties including civilians from a Houthi bombing of a mosque in Marib late last month.
The militia killed and injured more than 150 Presidential Guards in a ballistic missile strike on the mosque where the newly graduated cadets were praying.
Henzel renewed his country's support to Yemen's government and people and renewed the international community's rejection of Tehran's armament of Houthis.
At the battlefield, fierce clashes continued at several fighting fronts in Yemen. The Media center of the Armed Forces published video footage showing the National Army while breaking into militia positions at the Sarwah front in Marib amid a Houthi mass exodus.
Meanwhile, fighting renewed in the north of the Qaatiyah directorate in the Dhale governorate, south of Yemen. The army countered an attack launched by Houthis on positions in the Kharazat sector, prompting clashes between the two sides and leaving several Houthi casualties.
Also on Monday, one child and one old woman were killed and two other children were injured in a Houthi attack on houses in al-Monaynah, located in al-Tahita district, south of Hodeidah.
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