Houthis exploite vicinity of UN institution in Saada

Military sources revealed that the leadership of Arab Coalition to support the legitimacy in Yemen has identified a number of vehicles and carriers used by armed militias and armed forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh to support the supply lines, the vicinity of a UN facility in the suburbs of Saada and al-Hadba, taking advantage of the special protection enjoyed by the institutions.

The sources pointed out that the coalition leadership monitored movements of the militias and the Republican Guard with their weapons, equipment and military vehicles near the facility. It also noted the presence of workshops and warehouses for the militants in the same location. He confirmed that the coalition monitored the sites by satellite, aerial and field photography to prove that the coup forces exploited the surrounding sites of buildings and headquarters of international and non-governmental organizations, as well as using them in combat operations.

In April 2015, the Security Council issued its resolution No. 2216, which includes the prohibition of the supply of arms, gear and military means of transport, to the deposed president and his son Ahmed, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, Abdul-Khaliq al-Houthi, Abdullah Yahya al-Hakim and all the parties working for them in Yemen. The resolution called on Houthis to stop fighting and withdraw their troops from areas they had taken over, including the capital, Sana'a.

UN Special Envoy to Yemen Ismael Ould Cheikh Ahmed described the new UN plan on Hodeidah as "the gateway, not the goal", saying that it is the beginning of a comprehensive solution to the Yemeni crisis.

Ould Cheikh Ahmed stressed importance of resolve the issue of the port of Hodeidah; to avoid any military operation on it. "We do not ask the parties to the dispute to hand over the port to the legitimacy, but to hand it over to a third party by the United Nations to manage the port," he said.

The envoy stressed that the full solution to the crisis is to end the war in Yemen. "At the moment, we are looking for solutions to some issues such as the issue of salaries and airport Sana'a," he said, stressing the need for a comprehensive solution. He pointed out that his current visit to Oman came in coordination with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterich, to take a new tour of the region and find an approach to resolve the Yemeni issue.

The UN envoy said that there is support for new meetings and consultations between Houthis, General People's Congress of former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and the United Nations, to talk about the initiative of the latter.

He pointed out that he will go to Jordan to meet King Abdullah II of Jordan, and there will be a visit to Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to inform them of the Hodeidah initiative, pointing out the deadlock in the political situation in Yemen since last December. He stressed that all parties in the Yemeni crisis must offer sacrifices, readiness and political ability to resolve the crisis, especially that the solution is known and is one of the outcomes of Yemeni consultations in Kuwait.