Pro-Saudi Yemenis Withdraw From Peace Talks, Claiming ‘Violations’

Houthis Retaliated After Being Attacked by 'Neutral' Faction

by Jason Ditz

The pro-Saudi faction has withdrawn from the Yemeni peace talks organized by the UN, claiming that the Shi’ite Houthi movement had “violated” the ceasefire with them, even though the two sides didn’t actually engage in any conflict.

What actually happened, according to reports, was that a neutral faction of soldiers from the former Yemeni government, which were based out of the Umaliqa Base in Amran Province, launched a reported series of raids against Houthi territory. The Houthis responded with an offensive that seized the base.

The pro-Saudi faction insisted that the Houthis had “torpedoed” the talks with this move, claiming it was a deliberate attempt to kill the UN effort, even though by all indications the Houthis were still more than willing to keep talking and again, the Umaliqa faction had nothing to do with either party.

Indeed, during the ceasefire fighting has continued against other factions that aren’t a party to the talks on all sides, with the pro-Saudi faction seizing the entire city of al-Mukallah from al-Qaeda, a much bigger territorial gain than a single military base, without any suggestion this threatened the peace process.

http://news.antiwar.com/2016/05/02/pro-saudi-yemenis-withdraw-from-peace-talks-claiming-violations/