Saudis to halt Yemen strikes for aid delivery
Send ‘ limited’ force to Aden; Kerry to visit Riyadh; Egypt extends military mandate in Gulf for 3 months
Riyadh/ Aden/ Washington / Cairo, May 4: Saudi Arabia is considering temporary halts in coalition airstrikes against rebels in Yemen to allow for aid deliveries, foreign minister Adel al- Jubeir said Monday.
The kingdom will consult members of the coalition on “finding specific areas inside Yemen... where all air operations will be paused at specific times to allow for the delivery of aid,” Mr Jubeir said in a statement.
The Saudi- led coalition of Sunni Arab countries launched airstrikes in Yemen in late March against Iran- backed Shia Houthi rebels and their allies after they seized control of large parts of the country, including the capital Sanaa.
President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled Yemen as the rebels advanced on his southern refuge of Aden, and anti- government forces have refused to concede territory or down arms despite international pressure.
The United Nations has repeatedly warned that impoverished Yemen faces a major humanitarian crisis and calls have been growing for efforts to increase aid deliveries.
Mr Jubeir said Saudi Arabia “plans to establish a centre on its territory to be in charge of coordinat- ing all humanitarian aid efforts” with the UN, donors and other relevant agencies. He warned the rebels against “taking advantage” of any pause in the bombing.
Saudi Arabia “will deal with any violations in connection with the suspension of airstrikes or movements that hinder humanitarian efforts,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Saudi- led coalition sent a “limited” force to the city of Aden Sunday, Yemeni sources said, in what would be its first ground deployment inside the country.
A spokesman for the coalition denied that a major ground force has landed, refusing to comment on “ongoing opera- tions.”
But Yemeni government and militia forces said several dozen troops had landed in the main southern city, with some sources saying they were to assist in fighting for its international airport.
US secretary of state John Kerry will travel to Saudi Arabia and Paris this week to discuss West Asian issues, a spokeswoman said on Monday.
Mr Kerry will be in Riyadh on Wednesday and Thursday to meet with senior Saudi leaders to discuss regional security issues, state department spokeswoman Marie Harf said. After Riyadh, Mr Kerry will go to Paris to meet with foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council nations to discuss security and other regional issues.
Egyptian government said on Sunday it had extended by three months the deployment of “some elements of the armed forces” outside Egypt's borders to defend national and Arab security in the Gulf, Red Sea and the Strait of Mandab. Egypt authorised a 40- day mandate on March 26, which the defence ministry had asked to be renewed before its expiry, the statement from the Cabinet said.