Yemen: Houthis rejects GCC's peace talks offer

Al-Mukalla: Houthis in Yemen rejected Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) fresh offer for peace talks in Riyadh between them and Yemen administration, Arab News, citing Yemeni state officials.

The GCC has invited many Yemeni politicians, activists, civil leaders etc., to the conference to be hosted by Riyadh, scheduled from March 29 to April 7.

In addition to rejecting the GCC offer, Houthis demanded the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen to roll back all the restrictions imposed on Sanaa airport and Hodeidah seaport.

While there is a warning that the humanitarian crisis in Yemen is intensifying, Yemen state said that the Houthi's response was expected since they always derailed efforts to bring peace. The government said that Houthi's again proving that they are cancer, deserved to be wiped out of Yemen to keep the nations stability.

Yemen government is fully supportive towards any kind of peace talks, including the UN's, Yemen administration told Arab News. Yemen's undersecretary at Yemen's Information Ministry, Abdul Baset Al-Qaedi, said that Houthis are interested in war because they could loot Yemeni property and accumulate massive wealth.

Yemen's former deputy prime minister Abdulmalik Al-Mekhlafi urged the international community to force the militants' group to accept the plans and called for a humanitarian truce for Ramadan.

Humanitarian workers have raised concerns that the increasing crisis in the nation might absorb all the funds contributed by international donors. The ongoing war has displaced thousands, tripped the currency to fall and crumbled the Yemeni economy. Yemeni government's high relief committee suggested support to the fisheries and agricultural sectors to support and secure the country's food supply.

Relief workers in the country said while the world aided Ukraine's cause which only started 17 days ago, it had turned its back towards Yemen.