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ADEN (Reuters) – The Saudi-led coalition has gathered thousands of soldiers near Hodeidah, the port city of Yemen, local military sources said on Wednesday to pressure Houthi insurgents with Iran for them to resume peace talks sponsored by the United Kingdom.
PHOTO FILE: Protesters waving a poster of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi during a protest against the deterioration of the economy in Taiz (Yemen), October 4, 2018. REUTERS / Anees Mahyoub / File Photo
The United States and Britain called for an end to the three-and-a-half-year war that pushed impoverished Yemen to the brink of famine, putting pressure on Saudi Arabia amidst global outcry aroused by the assassination of the famous Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the consulate of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul on October 2nd.
The military alliance of Sunni Muslim states led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates deployed about 30,000 men south of Hodeidah, dominated by the Houthis, and near its entrance to the city. East, pro-coalition-Yemeni military sources told Reuters.
"Thousands of Yemeni soldiers trained by the coalition have been sent to the suburbs of Hodeidah, in addition to modern weapons, including armored vehicles and tanks … in anticipation of a major operation in the next days, "said a source.
Residents told Reuters that the Houthis had also deployed forces in downtown Hodeidah, in the port and in the southern neighborhoods, in anticipation of an assault.
The coalition and the Houthis have not commented on the military movements.
UN special envoy to Yemen tries to save peace talks that failed in September, raising fears of a new assault on the Red Sea city, the country's main port, and a lifeline for millions of Yemenis who depend on humanitarian aid.
Special Envoy Martin Griffiths welcomed Tuesday's call by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for a cessation of hostilities ahead of the UK-led talks scheduled to begin next month.
Britain has also endorsed the call by the United States for an end to the fighting, which has killed more than 10,000 people, according to available figures, and triggered the humanitarian crisis the most urgent in the world.
"We remain committed to bringing the Yemeni parties to the negotiating table a month from now. Dialogue remains the only way to reach an inclusive agreement, "Griffiths said in a statement released on Wednesday.
"I urge all parties concerned to seize this opportunity to constructively engage in our current efforts for the early resumption of political consultations in order to agree on a framework for political negotiations and negotiations." confidence building measures, "he said, citing his support for the central bank and a prisoner exchange.
DISASTER SITUATION
The Western-backed Arab alliance intervened in the Yemeni war in 2015, widely seen as an indirect conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran, to restore internationally recognized government.
But after seizing the port city of Aden, in the south of the country, and some West Coast cities, the alliance has made only a few gains in a costly war aimed at overthrowing the Houthis, which owns the most populated areas of Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.
The UN aid official told the Security Council earlier this month that half of Yemen's population, about 14 million people, may soon be on the verge of starvation.
Aid groups warned of deteriorating conditions in the country of the Arabian Peninsula.
"The recent increase in military activities at … Hodeida threatens the safety of our life-saving operations," World Food Program spokesman Herve Verhoosel said Wednesday.
He added that WFP had enough grain to help 6.4 million Yemenis among the poorest for two and a half months, the goal being to reach 8 million.
Red Cross spokeswoman Sara Alzawqari said some 3,200 families, between 22,000 and 28,000 people, were in dire need of basic necessities, including food, food, and food. 39, water and shelter at Hodeidah. Many have fled fighting in rural areas.
The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have repeatedly said that taking control of Hodeidah would force the Houthi movement to come to the negotiating table by cutting off its main supply line.
But a previous offensive on the heavily defended city in June failed to make any progress and the coalition ended the fighting to give a chance to the US peace talks in Geneva.
The talks were abandoned when the Houthie delegation was unable to attend. The Houthis have accused the coalition of blocking the movement of the group's team, while the Yemeni government has accused the Houthis of wanting to sabotage the negotiations.
Additional reportage by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Written by Ghaida Ghantous; Edited by Mark Heinrich
