No Ceasefire Unless Blockade Lifted: Yemen
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A Houthi Ansarullah movement spokesman said the Saudi-led blockade of Yemen must be lifted before a ceasefire agreement can be reached.
“The humanitarian side must be separated from the military one," Mohammed Abdul-Salam said in an interview broadcast on Al Jazeera on Wednesday.
“We were asked for a comprehensive ceasefire... but the first stage is to open the sea ports and airports, then go towards the process of a strategic ceasefire, which is stopping the strikes, missiles and drones.
“When the sea port and the airport open, we're ready to negotiate.”
Earlier this month, the UN renewed its call for a nationwide ceasefire and a political solution to the conflict.
However, Abdul-Salam underlined that for Yemen, the only path towards that would be for the blockade to be lifted followed by a ceasefire and then “preparation for discussions and then (ultimately) have dialogue”.
Saudi Arabia launched a devastating military aggression against Yemen in March 2015 in collaboration with a number of its allied states, such as the UAE, and with arms support from the US and several Western countries.
The Saudi-led coalition also imposed a strict land and sea blockade.
The aim was to return to power the Riyadh-backed regime of former president Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and defeat the Houthi Ansarullah movement that has taken control of state matters.
Since then, over 100,000 people have been killed, according to the US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED).
The war has failed to achieve its goals, but killed tens of thousands of innocent Yemenis and destroyed the impoverished country’s infrastructure. The UN refers to the situation in Yemen as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.