All news

Yemen’s Houthi rebels say UN SC resolution on arms embargo supports aggression

Yemen’s Supreme Revolutionary Committee has condemned the killing of soldiers in the Shabwa province
Houthi supporters in Sana’a, Yemen (archive) EPA/YAHYA ARHAB
Houthi supporters in Sana’a, Yemen (archive)
© EPA/YAHYA ARHAB

KUWAIT CITY, April 15. /TASS/. Yemen’s Supreme Revolutionary Committee has condemned the UN Security Council resolution adopted on Tuesday banning arms supplies to Houthi rebels, Al-Masir TV channel said on Wednesday.

"The Supreme Revolutionary Committee calls on the Yemeni people to take to the streets on Thursday to protest the UN Security Council resolution directed at supporting aggression and to condemn the killing of soldiers in the Shabwa province," Al-Masir said.

Al-Arabiya TV channel reported that the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf praised the adoption of the resolution expanding sanctions against Houthi rebels. Gulf Cooperation Council secretary general Abdullatif bin rashid Al Zayani said the resolution reflects the unified position of the international community toward the situation in Yemen. "The Gulf Cooperation Council values the decision made by UN Security Council members which reflects the seriousness of international community’s intentions to render assistance to the Yemeni people," Al-Arabiya quoted Al Zayani as saying.

On April 14, the UN Security Council has adopted resolution 2216 that stipulates arms and military equipment embargo to Houthi rebels. The draft document was proposed by Jordan, US and UK. Fourteen UN Security Council member-countries supported the resolution, including China and Venezuela, while Russia abstained from voting.

Russia’s Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said on Tuesday that Russia did not support the resolution on Yemen in the UN Security Council because Moscow’s "constructive proposals" were not considered properly while preparing the draft document. "The Russian delegation’s constructive proposals were not properly considered in the process of coordinating the draft," Churkin said. Russia, in particular, insisted on introducing an arms embargo on all sides of conflict in Yemen, not only on Houthi rebels, as the adopted resolution stipulates.

Crisis in Yemen

Since August 2014, Yemen has been hit by a severe political and security crisis. In late January, the armed groups of Ansar Allah (Houthi rebels) forced the president and the government to announce resignation.

The rebels later took control of the country’s capital and several northern provinces. They also announced the adoption of the so-called constitutional declaration.

Overnight to March 26, Saudi Arabia launched a military operation in the neighboring country and delivered air strikes at several Houthi positions. The coalition was later joined by Bahrein, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan and Sudan.

Yemeni President Abd Rabbah Mansur Hadi fled the country to Saudi Arabia. Houthi rebels are currently fighting pro-government forces over control of Yemen’s second-largest city of Aden. The coalition is currently considering launching a ground operation in Yemen to oust Houthis.

The humanitarian situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate. The World Health Organization said that 643 people were killed in the conflict and 2,226 more injured as of April 6. The crisis in the Persian Gulf country has affected around 15.9 million people. More than 254,000 people fled the country, while 334,000 were internally displaced. According to UN, around 25 million of Yemenis need humanitarian aid.