Global Arab Network | Yemen president denies truce ever made with Houthi fighters

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Yemen president denies truce ever made with Houthi fighters

Global Arab Network - - Adam Turner

Wednesday, 09 September 2009 15:33

Yemen's president, Ali, Abdullah Saleh says no truce proposals were ever accepted by Houthi fighters in the north of the country and that a suspension in the conflict was only to allow humanitarian assistance through.

Heavy fighting between Al Houti forces and government troops in and around Sa’ada city in northern Yemen continues with utter disregard for the safety and well being of the civilian population.

In an exclusive interview to Al Jazeera on Wednesday, Ali Abdullah Saleh said it was the enemy opposition who unilaterally announced a ceasefire without meeting any of the conditions for a mutual agreement.

"We suspended military operations but made six conditions, clearly stated. The first of which was demining, opening of the roads, lifting checkpoints and ceasing attacks on the armed forces.

"This was the first condition ... the Houthis did not respect these conditions. So the army has no choice but to continue its operations in self-defence."

Saleh made it clear that the armed group was using its unilateral truce declarations to obtain ammunition, landmines, explosives and weapons from smugglers operating in the Arabian and Red seas.

"We know who they are. They claim to have a legitimate right to rule the country, and that the current government in power since the revolution 47 years ago is an usurpating power," he said.

"They claim that they have a divine right, and that they are the descendants of the Prophet. In fact, they are murders, rebels and outlaws ... we need to continue our mission in order to eradicate this malignant cancer."

UNHCR: assistance urgently needed

According to UNHCR, People fleeing from the Al Malaheet area just southwest of Sa’ada city say they witnessed fierce fighting and were forced to flee their homes immediately as the area became a battleground. Most of the displaced arrived at the Mazraq camp in neighbouring Hajjah province, traumatized and exhausted. Some had walked through the desert for five days before reaching the camp, spending nights under trees as there was no other shelter. The majority of the displaced are women carrying hungry infants and crying babies.

Information from Sa’ada city is sketchy as phone lines have been cut off. The situation for civilians inside the city is critical as the street battles rage on in several neighbourhoods and in the old part of the city. Most of the displaced are stranded and dangerously exposed to the fighting as they are unable to reach safer areas. Mines and unexploded ordnance on the roads increase the risks for those trying to flee the area. Inside Sa’ada city, people are living in extreme conditions. There has been no water or electricity in Sa’ada since 12 August and the food reserves are running out. Clashes have also spread to Harf Sufyan in Amran province, south of Sa’ada forcing a new wave of internally displaced people (IDPs).

UNHCR is again appealing for a ceasefire and the establishment of humanitarian corridors which would allow the civilian population to escape the fighting and enable aid workers to resume deliveries of humanitarian assistance.

Meanwhile, a ship carrying UNCHR aid for the displaced in Yemen is scheduled to dock today at the port of Aden. Nine 40-foot containers holding 25,000 blankets, 6,000 plastic sheets, 6,000 kitchen sets and 300 canvas tents for Sa'ada will be unloaded and transported by trucks to the camps and the areas where UNHCR has access.

UNHCR is also ready to launch a cross border operation from Saudi Arabia to assist the IDPs scattered north of Sa’ada city as soon as we receive clearances from both governments. UNHCR has already positioned tents, mattresses, blankets and other aid items for more than 2,000 people on the Saudi side of the border with Yemen.

UNHCR has received no contributions against an appeal launched last week. UNHCR is asking donor governments for an additional US$ five million to be able to respond to this emergency. The urgently-needed funds would allow UNHCR to organize the management of the camps, expand registration and protection of IDPs, and provide tents and other humanitarian assistance for the next four months.

Global Arab Network

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