Fierce clashes rage in south Yemen
At least 92 killed in attacks as pressure mounts for the warring groups to hold political dialogue
Fierce fighting raged yesterday in south Yemen between Iran-backed militiamen and supporters of President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, as pressure mounted for the warring factions to hold political talks.
Al Houthi militiamen, who have overrun large parts of the country and forced Hadi to flee overseas, have demanded a complete end to a month of Saudi-led air strikes against them as a condition for UN-sponsored talks.
At least 92 people have been killed in air strikes and fighting in towns in the south of the country, strategically located next to Saudi Arabia and key shipping routes.
In Aden and in the adjacent Lahj province alone, 46 militiamen died in clashes and 12 hours of intense air strikes, a military source said.
Former strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh, who still holds sway over army units allied with Al Houthi militiamen, late on Friday urged Al Houthis to heed UN demands to withdraw from territory they have seized.
US Secretary of State John Kerry also called on the antigovernment forces to enter into political dialogue to end a conflict that the UN says has killed more than 1,000 people since late March.
New envoy
“This has to be a two-way street,” Kerry said, adding: “We need Al Houthis and we need those that can influence them to make sure that they are prepared to try to move... to the negotiating table.”
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has announced plans to appoint Mauritanian diplomat Esmail Ould Shaikh Ahmad as his new envoy to Yemen after the previous pointman lost the confidence of Gulf countries.
The Security Council approved the selection and Ahmad has been charged with trying to broker peace.
Fierce fighting raged yesterday in south Yemen between Iranbacked militiamen and loyalists of exiled President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, as pressure mounted for the warring factions to hold political talks.
Al Houthi militiamen, who have overrun large parts of the country, have demanded a complete end to a month of Saudi-led air strikes against them as a condition for UNsponsored talks.
Fresh clashes left at least 27 people dead yesterday in towns in the south of the impoverished country, strategically located next to Saudi Arabia and key shipping routes.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has announced plans to appoint Mauritanian diplomat Esmail Ould Shaikh Ahmad as his new envoy to Yemen after the previous pointman lost the confidence of Gulf countries.
The appointment becomes official tomorrow if no objections are raised by the 15-member council.
The Al Houthis swept into Sana’a in September from their northern stronghold and then advanced south on the major port of Aden. The capital remains in their hands while Al Qaida has exploited the instability to seize more territory in the largely lawless southeast.
At least four pro-Hadi fighters and six Al Houthi militiamen were killed yesterday in dawn fighting in the town of Daleh, north of Aden, an official said. Eight more militiamen were killed in an ambush.
Farther east, in Loder, loyalist fighters killed nine militiamen in a rocket-propelled grenade attack, a government official in the town said.
There were also heavy clashes in Aden, where the coalition kept up air strikes days after announcing its campaign was entering a new phase aiming at resuming the political process, delivering aid and fighting “terrorism”. Coalition warplanes also bombed the militia-held Al Anad air base north of Aden.
There was also fighting late on Friday in the eastern province of Marib, home to important oil fields.