Yemen calls for placing Houthi rebels on terror list

YEMEN

Yemen has called on the international community to accelerate the inclusion of Iran-backed Houthi group on the terrorism list, according to the Saba news agency.

Yemeni Vice-President Ali Mohsen Saleh met US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker on Sunday in Saudi capital Riyadh.

During the meeting, Saleh accused the Houthis of carrying out ballistic missile and drone attacks on Yemeni cities as well as on neighboring Saudi Arabia.

“The Houthi behavior puts the international community in a position to respond to popular, political and legal demands to punish the group and quickly place it on the terror list,” Saleh said.

There was no comment from the Houthi group on the statements.

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa. The crisis escalated in 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

More than 100,000 Yemenis, including civilians, are believed to have been killed in the conflict, which has led to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with millions at risk of starvation.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz