"Peace is the first option we are working on," the head of the Houthi delegation to Riyadh told the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat on Saturday. Senior Houthi official Mohammed Abdeslam expressed hope that the discussions in Saudi Arabia would lead to tangible progress in all the humanitarian, military, and political portfolios on the agenda, and would achieve peace and stability in Yemen, neighboring countries, and the region.
In the same breath, Abdeslam confirmed that the delegation's visit to Riyadh came in the context of previous discussions with the Saudi delegation in Muscat – the capital of Oman that mediates between the sides – and Sana'a. "We hope that these negotiations will culminate in progress in all cases and dealing with the effects of the war," he said.
Biden meets with bin Salman in Saudi Arabia (Archive) // Saudi TV
The Houthi militia has been fighting the Saudi coalition in Yemen since 2015. Her delegation arrived in Riyadh on Thursday and was accompanied by an Omani delegation as part of efforts to end the war, which has been going on for more than eight years.
On Thursday, Saudi Arabia approved the invitation of the delegation from Sana'a. The goal is to complete the results of the previous discussions held by the Saudi ambassador to Yemen, and to reach a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.
Houthi leaders Sanaa (archive), photo: AP
On Friday, National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan welcomed the talks. According to him, the delegation's visit comes after almost 18 consecutive months of calm in Yemen. This follows the UN-brokered armistice that got underway in April 2022. However, this ceasefire was not completely maintained.
Yemen's civil war erupted in March 2015 when the Houthis took control of the capital Sana'a while receiving aid from Iran. As a result, Saudi Arabia led a coalition of Arab countries and local forces to fight the militia. During the war, some 400,<> people were killed, and tens of thousands of children died of starvation caused by the fighting, the siege and the destruction of infrastructure.
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