Rescuing the Truce: Grundberg Meets the Houthis in Oman

Reports

Mon, 31-10-2022 05:21 PM, Aden

Muscat (South24)

Yesterday, the UN Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg concluded a visit to the Omani capital city, Muscat, during which he met with Houthi and Omani officials.

Grundberg's office said that during the visit he met the head of the Houthis' negotiating delegation, Mohammad Abdul Salam, and senior officials in the Sultanate.

According to the envoy's office, discussions focused on "renewing the truce in Yemen and working toward a political settlement of the conflict."

Grundberg's visit comes nearly a month after the end of the UN truce in Yemen, and in light of a military escalation by the Houthis that targeted important oil facilities in South Yemen.

In a statement on Saturday, the Houthi Defense Minister, Major General Mohammad Al-Atifi, threatened the Arab Coalition to resume attacks using drones and missiles if the their demands were not met.

Al-Atifi said, "The Coalition countries have two options, either a truce and salaries, or missiles and salaries."

On October 21, the Houthis launched an attack with two drones on the Dabba oil port in Hadramout governorate, South Yemen.

The attack, which was part of a series of drone attacks that exceeded 15 strikes since October 2, sparked wide local, regional and international reactions. They also threatened an imminent return to war.

The Houthis vowed to launch other attacks targeting oil facilities if crude oil production does not stop, and if their demands to pay civilian and military salaries from these oil revenues are not met.

In a statement, the UN Security Council described the attack as "terrorist," just days after the National Defense Council's decision to designate the Houthis as a "terrorist organization."

The Houthis denounced the statement of the Security Council, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Houthis statement said: "We strongly condemn the recent Security Council statement. We call on the Security Council to properly understand the warning message."

These developments come one day before the convening of the Arab League summit, on the first and second of November, in Algeria.

In statements to Saudi channels, Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmed bin Mubarak said yesterday that there is an "Arab consensus to support the Presidential Council" during the upcoming summit.

Hans Grundberg (NewsHour Productions LLC)

Rescuing the Truce: Grundberg Meets the Houthis in Oman