Americas, Middle East

US urges Houthis to stop assault in northern Yemen

'Houthis' assault on Marib is action of group not committed to peace,' says State Dept. spokesperson

Beyza Binnur Dönmez, Michael Gabriel Hernandez  | 16.02.2021 - Update : 17.02.2021
US urges Houthis to stop assault in northern Yemen

ANKARA 

The US on Tuesday urged the Houthi rebels to cease all military operations in the northern Yemen province of Marib and return to negotiations.

"The Houthis' assault on Marib is the action of a group not committed to peace or to ending the war afflicting the people of Yemen," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

Referring to UN figures that estimate 1 million Yemenis have sought refuge in Marib since the beginning of the war to escape Houthi violence, Price said this assault will only "exacerbate the humanitarian crises."

"Marib is controlled by the legitimate government of Yemen," he said. "This assault will only increase the number of internally displaced persons and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, already home to the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe."

"If the Houthis are serious about a negotiated political solution, they must cease all military advances and refrain from other destabilizing and potentially lethal actions, including cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia," the spokesperson added.

Emphasizing that there is "no military solution," Price said: "The time to end this conflict is now."

In recent days, Houthis increased attacks in the northern region to take control of Marib, an important stronghold of the legitimate government and home to the headquarters of the Yemeni Defense Ministry.

The US call comes on the same day the Treasury Department formally revoked the terror-designation for Yemen's rebel movement.

The action, a reversal from an eleventh-hour Trump administration action, was made due to concerns that designating the Houthis would serve to exacerbate the country's humanitarian crisis.

The Houthis are the de facto authorities across a broad swathe of Yemen, controlling much of the commerce through which humanitarian aid flows.

The army launched a large-scale operation Saturday against the Houthis on various fronts in Marib, killing a large number of rebels.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when the Houthis captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

A Saudi-led coalition aimed at reinstating the Yemeni government has worsened the situation, causing one of the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crises with 233,000 people killed, nearly 80% or about 30 million needing humanitarian assistance and protection, and more than 13 million in danger of starving to death, according to UN estimates.

*Michael Hernandez contributed to this story from Washington


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