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- “The US and UN - we urge the Houthis to respond,” Lenderking said
- “If we cannot make progress now, the country will spiral into greater conflict and instability,” the envoy added
LONDON: Saudi Arabia's leadership is providing “full support” to the US effort to end the war in Yemen, US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking said on Friday.
A “sound plan” for a nationwide ceasefire in Yemen has been put before the Houthi leadership for “a number of days,” but it appears the militia is prioritizing a military offensive to take Marib, Lenderking told the Atlantic Council think tank.
The US envoy said that the Iran-backed militia is giving priority to the campaign to take Marib over “suspending the war and moving relief to the Yemeni people.”
The spokesman for Yemen's Houthis Mohamed abdelsalam told Almasirah TV on Friday the American proposal for a nationwide ceasefire has nothing in it and represents the Saudi and the UN vision.
The American proposal doesn't include ceasing fire or breaking the siege, and it would lead to a resumption of a blockade, the spokesman added.
The comments come after the US and UN urged the Houthis to respond to the US plan for a ceasefire.
“If we cannot make progress now, the country will spiral into greater conflict and instability,” Lenderking said.
He added that the United States had restored humanitarian assistance funding to North Yemen.
The United Nations describes Yemen as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
(With Reuters)