Saleh-led political council doesn’t have Iraq backing

Iraq’s government does not recognise the recently formed political council made up of Al Houthis and supporters of ousted Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemeni foreign minister Abdul Malik Al Mekhlafi has said.

Speaking after a meeting in New York on Saturday, Al Mekhlafi said that Iraqi foreign minister Ebrahim Al Jaafari denied Al Houthi claims that Baghdad backed the controversial council. Al Jaafari also affirmed his country’s stance, refusing to meddle in other states’ internal affairs and its support for UN-brokered peace talks between Yemeni factions, the state run Saba news agency quoted Al Mekhlafi as saying.

Last month, Al Houthi officials visited Iraq and claimed that Haidar Al Abadi’s government backed the formation of the political council, a move that prompted the internationally-recognised government into asking Baghdad for a formal clarification.

After years of covertly colluding with the rebel forces to undermine the government of Yemeni president Abd Rabbo Mansour, Saleh in July officially declared his alliance with the Al Houthi movement by forming the political council.

The move torpedoed peace talks with the government in Kuwait.

Meanwhile on the ground, military commanders loyal to the government in the province of Lahej said yesterday that their forces took control of strategic mountains overlooking the region of Sharejah in the Taiz province.

Major General Fadhel Hassan, commander of the Karash front, told Gulf News: “With the help of our military brothers from the UAE, we have pushed Al Houthis out of Karash and we are advancing into Taiz province.”