UN to mediate Yemen peace talks

Date

9/12/2015 3:26:37 AM

(MENAFN- The Peninsula)

Sana’a: Yemen’s government said yesterday that it will join UN-mediated peace talks next week as rocket fire from Iran-backed rebels reportedly killed 20 civilians and wounded dozens more in a busy market.

The Saudi-led coalition meanwhile sent reinforcements over the border into Yemen in preparation for an offensive to retake the capital seized by the Houthi insurgents a year ago.

And in an ongoing campaign to soften up Sana’a coalition warplanes struck an arms depot triggering powerful explosions that killed at least seven civilians and wounded 10.

Witnesses at the Wadia border crossing from Saudi Arabia saw at least 40 vehicles cross into Yemen’s Marib province in part of the operation to recapture more territory from the Houthis. Since July loyalists have recaptured the main port of Aden and four other southern provinces.

The vehicles which crossed the border were carrying Yemeni troops trained in Saudi Arabia as well as coalition soldiers whose nationality military officials declined to give. Their arrival came as warplanes killed seven rebels in the eastern province of Marib while other raids struck insurgent positions in neighbouring Shabwa military sources said.

Hours later the rebels fired Katyusha rockets at the government headquarters in Marib’s provincial capital witnesses said. But several rockets struck an adjacent market killing at least 20 civilians and wounding dozens medics and witnesses said.

The violence came as the exiled government confirmed it had agreed to take part in UN-mediated peace talks which it said would be held in Oman next week. The UN special envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said the exiled government and rebels had agreed to take part in peace talks in the region next week.

However in the absence of any announcement from the rebels government spokesman Rajih Badi was unsure they would attend. The talks “may not take place” he said. AFP

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.