Yemen will get another chance at peace. But it’s a chance, if squandered, can be the last, according to a United Nations official who is acting as the mediator. The UN official’s statement is not an exaggeration, but a dire warning about the gravity of the situation.
The warring parties in Yemen have agreed to a cessation of hostilities starting from April 10 and peace talks in Kuwait beginning April 18. “This is really our last chance. The war in Yemen must be brought to an end,” the UN special envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said. His desperation and anger stem from the fact that several previous attempts to defuse the conflict have failed, triggering a humanitarian crisis that hasn’t attracted the attention it deserves as the world remains preoccupied with the conflict in Syria and the migration crisis it has triggered.
People in Yemen and countries in our region want the war in Yemen to come to an end, but this is a conflict that has been caused and complicated by Houthis in their bid to grab power with the support of Iran and by throwing out a legitimate government. A Saudi-led coalition was forced to intervene in the country militarily to restore the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The coalition began its military campaign a year ago with the aim of preventing Iran-allied Houthi rebels and forces loyal to Yemen’s ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh from taking control of the country.
The success of next month’s talks would depend on Houthis’ stance. They must agree to withdraw from territories that do not belong to them and allow restoration of the government that existed before. Both sides must strictly abide by the ceasefire that will come into force and enter talks with a willingness to end the conflict.
At the same time, the government forces and Saudi Arabia have agreed to cooperate to bring peace. Ould Cheikh Ahmed himself said Saudi Arabia is “fully committed to make sure that the next talks take place and particularly supports us with regard to the cessation of hostilities.”
According to the United Nations, more than 6,000 people, half of them civilians, have been killed in the conflict in Arab world’s poorest country. A continuation of the conflict will destroy what is left of the country.
Al Qaeda has been using the power vacuum to expand its influence. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) seized control of Mukalla, capital of Hadramout province, last year and is recruiting more followers. AQAP, formed by the merger of the Saudi and Yemeni wings of the group in 2009, is considered one of the deadliest branches of the network.
Yemen will get another chance at peace. But it’s a chance, if squandered, can be the last, according to a United Nations official who is acting as the mediator. The UN official’s statement is not an exaggeration, but a dire warning about the gravity of the situation.
The warring parties in Yemen have agreed to a cessation of hostilities starting from April 10 and peace talks in Kuwait beginning April 18. “This is really our last chance. The war in Yemen must be brought to an end,” the UN special envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said. His desperation and anger stem from the fact that several previous attempts to defuse the conflict have failed, triggering a humanitarian crisis that hasn’t attracted the attention it deserves as the world remains preoccupied with the conflict in Syria and the migration crisis it has triggered.
People in Yemen and countries in our region want the war in Yemen to come to an end, but this is a conflict that has been caused and complicated by Houthis in their bid to grab power with the support of Iran and by throwing out a legitimate government. A Saudi-led coalition was forced to intervene in the country militarily to restore the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The coalition began its military campaign a year ago with the aim of preventing Iran-allied Houthi rebels and forces loyal to Yemen’s ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh from taking control of the country.
The success of next month’s talks would depend on Houthis’ stance. They must agree to withdraw from territories that do not belong to them and allow restoration of the government that existed before. Both sides must strictly abide by the ceasefire that will come into force and enter talks with a willingness to end the conflict.
At the same time, the government forces and Saudi Arabia have agreed to cooperate to bring peace. Ould Cheikh Ahmed himself said Saudi Arabia is “fully committed to make sure that the next talks take place and particularly supports us with regard to the cessation of hostilities.”
According to the United Nations, more than 6,000 people, half of them civilians, have been killed in the conflict in Arab world’s poorest country. A continuation of the conflict will destroy what is left of the country.
Al Qaeda has been using the power vacuum to expand its influence. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) seized control of Mukalla, capital of Hadramout province, last year and is recruiting more followers. AQAP, formed by the merger of the Saudi and Yemeni wings of the group in 2009, is considered one of the deadliest branches of the network.
