Houthis Condemn Yemen Talks in Geneva to Failure Sunday, 19...

Houthis Condemn Yemen Talks in Geneva to Failure
Sunday, 19 August, 2018 - 06:15
Houthi supporters in Yemen. (AP)
Sanaa - Asharq Al-Awsat
The Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen have already condemned next month’s Geneva talks with the legitimate government to failure as they seek to prolong the war and suffering of the people.
Head of the militias’ ruling council Mehdi Mshat said that the Houthis realize in advance that the upcoming talks will not yield any results.
He instead called on followers to be on alert and avoid banking on the outcomes of the Geneva consultations.
His statement confirm others made by Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam that the militias intend to ensure the failure of the United Nations-sponsored talks.
The consultations are part of UN special envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths’ efforts to achieve peace in Yemen. Earlier this week, he had sent invitations to the legitimate government and Houthis to attend the September 6 talks in Geneva.
“According to my convictions, nothing new will come of the talks,” Mshat continued.
Such statements, said observers, demonstrate the Houthis’ intention to thwart peace efforts in order to continue their coup against the legitimate forces to serve Iran’s agenda in the region.
Mshat also called on Houthi supporters to mobilize more fighters, warning them against “putting their guard down.”
Informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that he had requested Houthi commanders in Taiz and Raimah to declare a state of emergency and use force to recruit new members and gather funds and food for fighters on the battlefronts.
Observers told Asharq Al-Awsat that Griffiths is seeking to limit the talks to the government and Houthis, which is why he did not invite other partisan Yemeni powers, such as the General People’s Congress.
On the battlefronts, the group acknowledged the death of three of its senior commanders in fighting during the past two days alone. They were given official funerals in Houthi-held Sanaa.
Official Houthis sources identified the deceased as Hassan Abdullah Hnein al-Jaradi, Hamid Ali al-Sarayhi and Haitham Saleh al-Jabry. They did not pinpoint the exact location where they were killed, only disclosing that they died in Saada battles.