New fighting between Yemeni government forces and Houthi rebels over the strategic northern town of Marib has left 90 people dead in the past two days, Agence France-Presse reported on Tuesday (June 22) (AFP ) military sources to promote. Close to Iran, the Houthi rebels have been leading an offensive since February to wrest this last government stronghold in the north of the country at war, despite diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire.
Northern Yemen is largely in the hands of the rebels, who also control the capital Sana’a. Government forces foiled Houthi attacks on various fronts north of the town of Marib, capital of the province of the same name, after fierce fighting that killed 63 rebels and 27 government-loyal fighters, the sources reported. military to promote.
Coveted for its wealth in oil and its political stake, the Marib region had experienced a lull in recent weeks against the backdrop of diplomatic negotiations led by the UN and the United States. But the attacks of the Houthis were increasingly “Frequent” in recent days, reported a government official, whose forces are supported on the ground by a military coalition led by Sunni Saudi Arabia, Yemen’s neighbor and Shiite Iran’s great regional rival.
Worst humanitarian disaster in the world
On Saturday, the fighting for the conquest of Marib left 47 dead, including 16 loyalist fighters. The Houthis for their part only very rarely report the victims in their ranks.
The conflict in Yemen, a poor country in the Arabian Peninsula, erupted in 2014 after an offensive by Houthi rebels from the north. The country has since become the world’s worst humanitarian disaster according to the UN, with tens of thousands of deaths according to NGOs and a population on the brink of famine.
Visiting Vienna on Tuesday, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Ben Farhane told a press conference his country wanted “Stop the war and turn to a political path”, regretting that the Houthis did not accept Riyadh’s offer of a ceasefire.
Last week, the UN envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, acknowledged the failure of diplomatic efforts to end the war in the country after a three-year mission. The Houthis are calling on Riyadh to end the air and sea blockade imposed on their country as a precondition for a ceasefire agreement. In addition to their offensive on Marib, the rebels regularly launch missiles and drones towards Saudi territory, targeting in particular its oil installations.
