Yemen’s President says Houthis reacted with violence to peace efforts

Yemen’s president said the government has reacted constructively to peace efforts, but said the Houthi militia responded with more violence, state news agency SabaNew reported.

“We have dealt constructively with all efforts and calls for peace by the UN and International Community, we frequently offered concessions in order to stop bloodshed and put an end to our peoples’ suffering after more than six years, but this terrorist militia responded with more escalation,” SabaNew quoted Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s address to the people on the occasion of Eid.

He said the Houthis “went on committing crimes and massacres against the civilians, firing ballistic missiles and drones on the cities, residential areas in our country and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a move [that] reflected the behavior of these militias of terrorism, malice, criminal tendency and acting to serve the Iranian intention to trigger wars and crises,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Minister of the United Kingdom Dominic Raab called on the Houthis to meet with the UN Special Envoy to Yemen and end their blocking of peace.

“We continue to witness harrowing stories of Yemeni children being forced into battle and women being kidnapped in Houthi territory. The UK calls on the Houthis to meet with @OSE_Yemen and end their Marib offensive & the blocking of peace,” he tweeted.