UN peace move in Yemen under threat

Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Sunday boycotted a meeting chaired by the head of a Un-led ceasefire monitoring team in the flashpoint city of Hodeidah, accusing him of pursuing “other agendas.”

The Houthis also threatened to launch more drone attacks.

Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert is leading a joint committee, which includes both government and rebel representatives, tasked with overseeing a truce in the Red Sea port city and the withdrawal of both parties.

Houthi rebel negotiator Mohammed Abdelsalam said Cammaert “steered from the course of the agreement by implementing other agendas.”

“If (UN envoy to Yemen Martin) Griffiths does not address the issue, it is going to be difficult to discuss any other matter,” he said on Twitter without elaborating.

A photographer said that the Houthi representatives did not take part in the committee meeting in Hodeidah on Sunday.

The UN declined to comment. Houthi spokesman Yahya Sarea said Thursday’s drone strike on a military base in Lahaj province, was a “legitimate operation.”

He said the movement was building a stockpile locally manufactured drones.