Yemen FM says Hudaydah operations not to stop before city's liberation

CAIRO – Yemeni Foreign Minister, Khalid al-Yamani, said Thursday that the ongoing operation in the Yemeni port city of al-Hodeidah will not stop before the city is totally liberated.

All diplomatic channels, al-Yamani said, have already been closed.

He was quoted by the London-based Arabic language newspaper Asharq al-Awsat as accusing some international parties of trying to lengthen the war in Yemen and give the Houthi militia more time to destroy the country.

Al-Yamani said the legitimate Yemeni government tried to work out a settlement to the Yemeni crisis with friendly governments, the UN Security Council, and the UN.

We suggested an initiative for ending the crisis on May 31, he said.

He added that the initiative included an attempt by the UN envoy to Yemen to convince the Houthi militia to get out of al-Hodeidah to avoid human and material losses.

The Houthis had, however, he said, set conditions for their exit from the city, something we rejected.

He said the Houthis had wanted Yemeni police to run the port of al- Hodeidah after their exit from the city.

We clarified to the international community that these terrorists only want to use the port in threatening international navigation in the Red Sea, al-Yamani said.

He added that the Houthis also use the port of Salif for terrorist purposes as well.

Sorry to say, everybody is standing by and watching and some parties want the conflict not to be resolved now so that the Houthis can have enough time to destroy the whole of Yemen, al-Yamani said.