Saudi Arabia has officially extended an invitation to representatives of the rebel Ansar Allah (Houthis) movement to engage in talks aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Yemen.
"In our ongoing efforts to establish a lasting and comprehensive ceasefire in Yemen and to work towards a sustainable political solution that is acceptable to all parties, we have extended an invitation to a delegation from Sana'a (the capital of Yemen, which has been under Houthi control since 2015 - TASS), to engage in consultations," stated the Saudi foreign ministry.
On the evening of September 14, the Al Mayadeen TV channel reported that representatives from the Houthi movement had flown from Sana'a to Riyadh, accompanied by a delegation from Oman, which serves as a mediator between the Saudi authorities and the Ansar Allah leadership.
Mohammed Abdel Salam, the spokesman for the Houthi delegation, is heading the team. He stated that the discussions would cover humanitarian issues such as the payment of salaries and social benefits to employees in areas controlled by the Houthis, the restoration of Sana'a airport, and the release of prisoners. Additionally, the Houthis intend to raise topics such as Yemen's reconstruction, the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country, and a comprehensive political settlement.
Bloomberg reported the day before that the coming weeks are crucial for Yemen's future, as Riyadh prepares for a new round of talks with the Houthis. The Houthis have threatened to resume attacks on Saudi Arabia if they are not compensated and receive a significant share of oil and gas revenues. The agency also suggested that differences between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are jeopardizing the prospects for a peace settlement in Yemen.
The conflict between government forces and supporters of the rebel Ansar Allah movement has persisted in Yemen since August 2014, intensifying with the coalition-led invasion of the country by Saudi Arabia in March 2015. In February 2023, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that Yemen had a genuine opportunity to move toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
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Photo: B.alotaby/Creative Commons 4.0
Based on materials from TASS