Taiz will be liberated soon, Yemen PM says

Militants cannot shake our determination, Bahah asserts

According to some estimates, boys younger than 18 form nearly a third of the Al Houthi militant force of approximately 25,000 fighters.

Yemeni Prime Minister Khalid Bahah said the government is working on the restoration of normalcy in Aden, and warned that “militants cannot shake our determination”.

Addressing a press conference in Aden on Saturday, he said the coming months would be a ‘‘politically and economically challenging time”. The government would eliminate terrorism in Aden and in the whole country, he said.

Reconstruction plans for Aden ‘are beginning’ and there will be practical steps to follow, not just speeches, Bahah promised. He praised the role played by the UAE Red Crescent in the aid and rebuilding efforts in Aden.

To a question on the situation in Taiz, Bahah said the third largest city in Yemen would be liberated ‘from within’ without giving more details.

Child fighters

Meanwhile, a UN official said that children make up a third of the fighters in armed groups involved in the Yemen war. According to UN statistics, nearly 30 per cent of Al Houthi fighters are minors. “We are seeing children in battle, at checkpoints and unfortunately among [those] killed and injured,” Julien Harneis, Unicef’s representative in Yemen, said in Geneva.

As the conflict has intensified, more and more children are being drawn into the battle.

According to some estimates, boys younger than 18 form nearly a third of the Al Houthi militant force of approximately 25,000 fighters. Most are aged between 12-17 years.

The United Nations verified the recruitment of 106 children in 2013, some as young as six. According to the UN, Salafists recruited 57 boys to fight against Al Houthis, while 32 children were seen manning Al Houthi checkpoints.

The United Nations verified a significant increase from 2013 of recruitment and use of children, with a total of 156 boys recruited and used between the ages of 9 and 17. The majority (140) of cases were perpetrated by Al Houthi militants with a highly visible presence.

Shaikh

Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, has received Jan Eliasson, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General.

During the meeting, they discussed cooperation in the humanitarian and development fields, as well as the assistance provided to various people to address dire conditions, especially those resulting from wars and disputes. They exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments.

(WAM)